Robbie Robertson dead at 80: The Band star who wrote group’s most iconic songs dies as family makes special request
GUITARIST and songwriter Robbie Robertson has died at 80.
The legendary musician was the lead guitarist for iconic rock group The Band.
“Robbie was surrounded by his family at the time of his death, including his wife, Janet, his ex-wife, Dominique, her partner Nicholas, and his children Alexandra, Sebastian, Delphine, and Delphine’s partner Kenny," the statement said.
"He is also survived by his grandchildren Angelica, Donovan, Dominic, Gabriel and Seraphina."
Most recently, Robertson had been working on a film music project for Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon.
Instead of sending flowers, his family has asked supporters for donations to be sent to the Six Nations of the Grand River, where Robertson spent much of his childhood, "to support a new Woodland Cultural Center."
Robertson was born on July 5, 1943 in Toronto, Canada.
Throughout his career, the guitarist worked on a number of films with Martin Scorsese, including The Wolf of Wall Street, Shutter Island, and Gangs of New York.
Robertson was a five-time Grammy nominee and was known for writing many of The Band's songs including The Weight, Up on Cripple Creek, Stage Fright, and The Shape I’m In.
The Band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.
He performed with The Band in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s before breaking off into a solo career in 1987, according to Deadline.
The Band served as as Bob Dylan backing band during several tours in the 1960s, including famously on Dylan's first electric tour in 1966.
Robertson was interested in music from a very young age, in 1968, "I’ve been playing guitar for so long I can’t remember when I started."