Original Members:

 

Rick Danko - Lead singer. Instrument: Bass, violin, guitar.

Levon Helm - Lead singer. Instrument: Drums, mandolin, harmonica.

Garth Hudson - Instrument Lowrey organ, piano, keyboards, saxophones, accordion, horns.

Richard Manuel - Lead singer. Instruments: piano, and drums (died 1986 while touring).

Robbie Robertson - Instrument: Guitar.

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The Band's early career: The members of The Band originally formed together as the Hawks, playing in Toronto. The Hawks were the backing band for rockabilly singer Ronnie Hawkins in the early days. They briefly changed their name to Levon and the Hawks and were recommended to be the first electric band, in 1966, to tour with Bob Dylan. After the 1966 tour, Levon Helm left the Hawks and the artists were now being billed as Bob Dylan and the Band. After a motorcycle accident, Bob Dylan stopped touring with the Hawks and eventually The Band felt they were coming into their own sound and kept their final name.

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Changing of members: Various changes to the members took place throughout the band’s history, but the original five members played together from Sept.1967-1976. The band worked on various solo projects from 1977-1983 until mid 1983, when they started playing together again with the exception of Robbie Robertson. Within the coming years, various artists played alongside them. The final line up toured together from 1992-1999, and consisted of original members Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, and Rick Danko, with the addition of Randy Ciarlante (drums/vocals from 1990), Jim Weider (guitar from 1985), and Richard Bell (piano from 1992).

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Awards and Accomplishments: The group was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1989 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. In 2004 Rolling Stone ranked them No. 50 on its list of the 100 greatest artists of all time, and in 2008 they received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2004, "The Weight" was ranked 41st on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest songs of all time.