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Levon Helm and the Story of the Band
By Levon Helm, By Stephen Davis
BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY
376 Pages, 6 x 9
Formats: Trade Paper, PDF, Mobipocket, EPUB
Trade Paper, $18.95 (US $18.95) (CA $20.95)
ISBN 9781613748763
Rights: US & CA
Chicago Review Press (Oct 2013)
Overview
The Band, who backed Bob Dylan when he went electric in 1965 and then turned out a half-dozen albums of beautifully crafted, image-rich songs, is now regarded as one of the most influential rock groups of the '60s. But while their music evoked a Southern mythology, only their Arkansawyer drummer, Levon Helm, was the genuine article. From the cotton fields to Woodstock, from seeing Sonny Boy Williamson and Elvis Presley to playing for President Clinton, This Wheel’s on Fire replays the tumultuous history of our times in Levon’s own unforgettable folksy drawl. This edition is expanded with a new epilogue covering the last dozen years of Levon's life.
Reviews
“Levon Helm’s memoir has real wit and passion. His Southern-fried storytelling stands on its own, and it will make you dig out your vinyl to remember why you loved the Band’s music so much. . . . Helm’s tales from the road have real snap and humor; reading This Wheel’s on Fire, you almost don’t want that era to end.” —Boston Phoenix
“Helm lays it all bare in vivid, impassioned prose, adding an earthy, back-woods tone that makes the book read like a Southern novel, like Thomas Wolfe writing about rock ’n’ roll.” —Boston Globe
“This Wheel’s on Fire explodes in the pure Dixie Delta dialect of rockabilly, the back-beat of America, the entire landscape . . . expertly written with heart and soul by one of the true heroes of my generation.” —Bob Dylan
“One of the most insightful and intelligent rock bios in recent memory.” —Entertainment Weekly
“A soulful and passionate memoir. On every page Helm offers the reader folksy, straightforward wisdom gained from a lifetime of roadhouses, stadiums, and dancehalls. . . . This Wheel’s on Fire is reminiscent of Woody Guthrie’s Bound for Glory—both books are compelling and unforgettable personal narratives about the power of music to transcend even the most unmitigated circumstances. . . . Levon Helm doesn’t miss a beat.” —Houston Chronicle
“The best inside-look book I’ve seen. . . . It’s highly readable—Levon’s narrative is written in a breezy, conversational style—and refreshingly honest.” —Indianapolis Review
Author Biography
Levon Helm met Ronnie Hawkins at the age of 17 and formed what would soon become the Band. He maintained a successful career as a singer and actor until his death in 2012. Stephen Davis is the author of numerous books, including Hammer of the Gods, Jim Morrison, More Room in a Broken Heart, Old Gods Almost Dead, and Walk This Way. He lives in Milton, Massachusetts.