On the fortieth anniversary of The Band's legendary The Last Waltz
concert, Robbie Robertson finally tells his own spellbinding story of
the band that changed music history, his extraordinary personal
journey, and his creative friendships with some of the greatest
artists of the last half-century.
Robbie Robertson's singular contributions to popular music have made
him one of the most beloved songwriters and guitarists of his
time. With songs like "The Weight," "The Night They Drove Old Dixie
Down," and "Up on Cripple Creek," he and his partners in The Band
fashioned music that has endured for decades, influencing countless
In this captivating memoir, written over five years of reflection,
Robbie Robertson employs his unique storyteller's voice to weave
together the journey that led him to some of the most pivotal events
in music history. He recounts the adventures of his half-Jewish,
half-Mohawk upbringing on the Six Nations Indian Reserve and on the
gritty streets of Toronto; his odyssey at sixteen to the Mississippi
Delta, the fountainhead of American music; the wild, early years on
the road with rockabilly legend Ronnie Hawkins and The Hawks; his
unexpected ties to the Cosa Nostra underworld; the gripping
trial-by-fire "going electric" with Bob Dylan on his 1966 world tour,
and their ensuing celebrated collaborations; the formation of The Band
and the forging of their unique sound, culminating with history's most
famous farewell concert, brought to life for all time in Martin
Scorsese's great movie The Last Waltz.
This is the story of a time and place -- the moment when rock'n'roll
became life, when legends like Buddy Holly and Bo Diddley crisscrossed
the circuit of clubs and roadhouses from Texas to Toronto, when The
Beatles, Hendrix, The Stones, and Warhol moved through the same
streets and hotel rooms. It's the story of exciting change as the
world tumbled through the '60s and early '70s, and a generation came
of age, built on music, love, and freedom. Above all, it's the moving
story of the profound friendship among five young men who together
created a new kind of popular music.
Testimony is Robbie Robertson's story, lyrical and true, as
only he could tell it.
--Editorial book summary
