The Last Waltz: The Farewell Tribute to The Band

During the late 1960’s, the only act that displayed the diversity of musical genres better than Top 40 radio was a group appropriately named, The Band. The group was made up of four Canadians and a fella from Arkansas. The Band’s musical influences ranged from American Folk to Rock, Country to classical, Psychedelic to Soul, Oompah to OMG vocal harmonies.

The Band performed for 16 years. Playing bars, dives, dance halls, and the biggest stadiums and arenas. This show is a tribute to their farewell concert at the Winterland Ballroom on Thanksgiving 1976. It was an all star affair, as The Band was joined on stage by musical icons Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Muddy Waters, Paul Butterfield, Dr. John, and Ronnie Hawkins.

Bill Graham, rock impresario, borrowed the set of La Traviata from the San Francisco Opera and provided a Thanksgiving dinner for the 5000 ticket buyers who gathered to see The Band’s Last Waltz. The concert was captured by director Martin Scorsese in what is considered the greatest documentary of all time.