Garth Hudson, Last Surviving Member of The Band and Bob Dylan Collaborator, Dies at 87

Mar. 15, 2025

Garth Hudson in 1969.Photo:David Attie/Getty

David Attie/Getty

Garth Hudson, the last surviving member of The Band who toured withBob Dylan, has died. He was 87.

Hudson’s death was confirmed in a statement shared to The Band’s officialInstagram pageon Tuesday, Jan. 21.

The statement continued: “Through his music, he did just that—helping us all feel more deeply and connect to something greater. Rest easy, Garth.🕊”

Garth Hudson in September 1974.Michael Putland/Getty

Michael Putland/Getty

Rolling Stonereported that the multi-instrumentalist died early Tuesday morning at the Ten Broeck Center for Rehabilitation & Nursing in upstate New York.

No cause of death was revealed, but Hudson’s longtime friend Jan Haust told the publication that he “died peacefully” and “yesterday was a day of music and hand-holding.”

By his teenage years, he relocated with his family to London, Ontario where he joined a band, which would eventually be called the Kapers.

After seeing Hudson perform, Ronnie Hawkins and Levon Helm tried to recruit the musician to join their band the Hawks. However, Hudson aspired to be a music teacher, so he joined the group once they agreed to his terms to let him teach them music theory.

The Band in June 1971.Gijsbert Hanekroot/Redferns

Gijsbert Hanekroot/Redferns

The lineup also included Robbie Robertson, Rick Danko and Richard Manuel (Hawkins split from the group in 1963.) Eventually, they became The Band.

But during their time as the Hawks, Dylan hired them to be his backing band.

Their relationship with Dylan continued and they moved to a big pink house in Saugerties, N.Y. in 1967 where they penned The Band’s debut albumMusic from Big Pink. They alsorecorded songs with Dylan that were eventually featured on 1975’sBasement Tapes. including Dylan’s classic “I Shall Be Released,” in addition to tracks from Dylan for The Band, like “Tears of Rage” and “This Wheel’s on Fire.”

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Between 1968 and 1977, The Band recorded seven studio albums, with their self-titled 1969 LP and 1970’sStage Frightboth landing in the U.S. top 10.

Once the band reunited in 1983, Hudson joined them and eventually released three more albums with them during the 1990s.Throughout his career, he did session work with artists likeEmmylou Harris, Van Morrison andLeonard Cohen. Hudson released a solo album in 2001 withThe Sea to the North.

Rick Danko, Robbie Robertson, Garth Hudson of The Band with Bob Dylan perform at their farewll concert released on film as ‘The Last Waltz’ at Winterland Ballroom on November 1976.Michael Ochs Archives/Getty

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty

With The Band, Hudson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. In 2008, he earned a lifetime achievement Grammy award.

source: people.com