Who was Robbie Robertson? Founding Member of The Band Dead at 80

Robbie Robertson was a Canadian singer who was the founding member of the popular music group, The Band. He was also best known for his work as lead guitarist for Bob Dylan in the mid-late 1960s and early-mid 1970s, as guitarist and songwriter with the Band from their inception until 1978, and for his career as a solo recording artist.

He died after a long illness on Wednesday, August 9, 2023. He was 80 years old. His work with the Band was pivotal in creating the American music genre. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Canadian Music Hall of Fame as a member of the Band. He was also inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame, both with his band and on his own.

Along with the band, Robertson was known for several songs including The Weight, Up On Cripple Creek, Don’t Do It, Peyote Healing, Atlantic City, It Makes No Difference, Shine Your Light, I Shall Be Released, Coyote Dance, The Shape I’m In, Chest Fever, Life Is a Carnival, Stage Fright, Long Black Veil, and more.