The Band’s Garth Hudson has died, aged 87

Garth Hudson, the last surviving original member of The Band, has died aged 87.

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According to the Toronto Star, Hudson “passed away peacefully in his sleep this morning at a nursing home in Woodstock, New York”.

Born in Windsor, Ontario, Hudson co-founded The Band in the mid-’60s, having previously played with Robbie Robertson, Rick Danko, Richard Manuel and Levon Helm in The Hawks.

Although he was best-known for playing the Lowrey organ, Hudson also played accordion, saxophone and range of other instruments.

Hudson played on all 10 of The Band’s studio albums, their two albums with Bob Dylan (The Basement Tapes and Planet Waves) and their live albums, including Rock Of Ages and The Last Waltz.

Speaking in this month’s Uncut, Benmont Tench of Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers said, “I’m always trying to capture the magic of Garth’s Lowrey organ on my own Hammond… There’s a purity to [The Band’s] art, their vision, and you can’t overestimate the influence they’ve had on others.”

Hudson also enjoyed a successful career outside The Band. His debut solo album The Sea To The North was released in 2001 and he released two albums as a member of Flying Burrito Brothers‘ spin-off, Burrito Deluxe with Sneaky Pete Kleinow: 2002’s Georgia Peach and 2004’s The Whole Enchilada.

In 2005, he formed his own 12-piece band, the Best!, with his wife, Maud. The Hudsons also released a piano-accordion-vocal album, Live At The Wolf, in 2005.

An in-demand session musician, Hudson also worked with Emmylou Harris, Van Morrison and Leonard Cohen and collaborated with many others, including Mercury Rev on their 1999 album, Deserter’s Songs.

In 2007, Garth and Maud appeared at the 100 Club in London – you can read Uncut‘s report from the night by clicking here.

He continued to work on solo albums by his former colleagues in The Band while, in 2010, he produced Garth Hudson Presents: A Canadian Celebration Of The Band, featuring Canadian artists covering songs that were recorded by the Band, including Neil Young, Cowboy Junkies, Mary Margaret O’Hara and Bruce Cockburn.

Hudson’s last public appearance was in April, 2023, when he performed Duke Ellington‘s “Sophisticated Lady” at a house concert in Kingston, New York.