Garth Hudson, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and last surviving member of the Band, dies at 87

Garth Hudson, the keyboardist, saxophonist, and multi-instrumentalist who was the last surviving member of the Band, has died. He was 87.

His former manager, Jim Della Croce, confirmed his death to Entertainment Weekly, sharing that Hudson "passed in his sleep early this morning at a nursing home near Woodstock, New York."

The Canadian musician, who served as the principal architect of the Band's sound, was also honored on the group's official Instagram page.

"Today, we sadly say goodbye to Garth "Honey Boy" Hudson, the last living original member of the Band," read the Tuesday post. "A musical genius and cornerstone of the group’s timeless sound, Garth once said, 'I found some true enjoyment in helping people get to the bottom of their feelings.' Through his music, he did just that—helping us all feel more deeply and connect to something greater. Rest easy, Garth."

Related: Robbie Robertson, leader of The Band and film composer, dies at 80

Born Eric Garth Hudson in Windsor, Ontario on Aug. 2, 1937, music was a part of his life from the very beginning. Hudson joined a family of musicians: his father played flute, drums, cornet and the saxophone, performing regularly in local dance bands, while his mother was a vocalist, who also played the accordion and piano. It was only fitting that Hudson began piano lessons at an early age. He went on to play organ at his church and in his uncle's funeral parlor.

Hudson penned his first original song at age 11, and began playing professionally with dance bands at 12. He later studied music at the University of Western Ontario, where he was classically trained in piano, music theory, harmony and counterpoint.

He initially found moderate success as a member of the London band, the Silhouettes — then came the summer of 1961, when Hudson was first approached by Ronnie Hawkins and Levon Helm to join their band, then called the Hawks. Though he initially declined, by December of that year Hudson was lured into the group =, which included Robbie Robertson, Richard Manuel, and Rick Danko. Per his deal, he was awarded a new Lowrey electronic organ and was paid an additional $10 per week to give his bandmates music lessons (and mollify the concerns of his dubious parents).

"Just having Garth as a teacher was an honor," Helm wrote in his 1993 memoir, This Wheel’s on Fire. "He’d listen to a song on the radio in the Cadillac and tell us the chords as it went along. Complicated chord structures? No problem. Garth would figure them out, and we found ourselves able to play anything. Our horizons were lifted, and the thing became more fun. It was like we didn’t have to guess anymore, because we had a master among us. That’s how it felt."

The group first gained notoriety as a backing band for Ronnie Hawkins, hence the name, before splitting with the singer and being hired for Bob Dylan's electric 1965-66 world tour. In time, the Hawks became the Band.

After the release of their debut album Music From Big Pink, the Band only lasted eight years. During their tenure, they sent shockwaves through the music industry. credited with popularizing Americana music with classic songs like "The Weight," "Up on Cripple Creek," and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down."

The Band's 1976 farewell concert The Last Waltz was captured on film by legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese. After they called it quits, Hudson worked as a session musician with many artists, including Van Morrison and Leonard Cohen.

The Band reformed in 1983 without Robertson, and Hudson appeared on the three albums they released in the '90s. Hudson also worked with his bandmates, including Robertson, on their solo projects and contributed to several film soundtracks such as Raging Bull, The King of Comedy, and The Right Stuff.

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Hudson and his bandmates were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008.

Maud Hudson, his wife of 43 years and longtime musical partner, died in February 2022. The couple shared a daughter, Tami Zoe Hill.

Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly