Shaking the South to the Core: Levon Helm..."Till a Yankee Laid Him In His Grave"

 "He was just eighteen, proud and gray, till a Yankee laid him in his grave."

"Take what you need and leave the rest, but they should never have taken the very best."

I'm still saddened by the death of Levon Helm, drummer of the great group, the Band and one whose voice could sum up the people he came from. 

Born in Elaine, Arkansas to a cotton farming family, he was influenced by the blues, country and R&B growing up.  He eventually became the only American member of the group called The Band who had some great albums in the 70s.  He was diagnosed with cancer ten years ago, which finally got him.  Born May 26, 1940, died April 19, 2012.

Three of the songs he sang lead on are among my all-time favorites: "Up on Cripple Creek," "The Weight" (I've even sung this at karaoke) and, of course, "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down."  This song pretty well sums up the Confederacy as well as anything could.

The Sunday after he died, I went on You Tube to see what they had.  It is always a mistake for me to start checking out music on You Tube as that is always a long project.  One thing leads to another.

I was particularly searching for "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" and found four really great videos.  One was of Helm singing it at "The Last Waltz" which unfortunately was very dark.  The other three used the song and then other video.  One by woodenships82 featured Civil War photos, another was of Johnny Cash singing a verse to some Confederate soldiers sitting around a campfire and the last, by MetalGuruMessiah was especially something with use of special effects set to the words.

Worth Checking Out for All You Confederates.  --Old Secesh