02-08-2019, 21:26
Eric Garth Hudson was born on this day in 1937, in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. He and Robbie Robertson are the only two members of the The Band still living. (Note to self: gotta watch The Last Waltz again sometime soon!)
Hudson is a multi-instrumentalist (clavinet, piano, accordion, melodica, soprano, tenor and baritone saxophones, slide trumpet, bass pedals and synths) but is known primarily for his expertise on the Lowrey Organ. He’s been around music his whole life (his father was also a multi-instrumentalist) and the classically trained Garth began playing professionally for dance bands at the age of twelve. Forsaking what he felt was a restrictive classical route, after a year of university studies, he joined The Hawks along with the other The Band members (before they had graduated as such) but only on condition that he was paid a weekly salary of $10 and given the title ‘Music Consultant’. This was in order to placate his father who didn’t want to see his talented son’s gifts squandered after so much time, effort and expense had gone into the acquisition and polishing of his skills.
Mr Hudson seems to have led a life of varying fortunes, declaring bankruptcy no less than three times, but nonetheless remaining an in-demand session player, and aside from his few solo efforts contributing to works by many fellow artists. This year he was named a Member of the Order of Canada.
He’s not always very visible in the video clips of The Band – or just not focused upon, but if it were not for his sound, they’d have been a much poorer show.
“Up on Cripple Creek” … (sans Robbie) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7LBlByFC2E – they’re a bit older here. Sound isn’t great but it’s an interesting clip – so cool trawling around listening to them – and another version of “Up on Cripple Creek” from The Last Waltz … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsdUzN20Sow - Levon was a genius … but I digress …
Mr Hudson is very evident on “Ophelia” … Lowrey, Bass, Synth and Woodwind … just listen - (a live Last Waltz version here because it's such a joy to watch -
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RjqcTsxx-8)
Hudson is a multi-instrumentalist (clavinet, piano, accordion, melodica, soprano, tenor and baritone saxophones, slide trumpet, bass pedals and synths) but is known primarily for his expertise on the Lowrey Organ. He’s been around music his whole life (his father was also a multi-instrumentalist) and the classically trained Garth began playing professionally for dance bands at the age of twelve. Forsaking what he felt was a restrictive classical route, after a year of university studies, he joined The Hawks along with the other The Band members (before they had graduated as such) but only on condition that he was paid a weekly salary of $10 and given the title ‘Music Consultant’. This was in order to placate his father who didn’t want to see his talented son’s gifts squandered after so much time, effort and expense had gone into the acquisition and polishing of his skills.
Mr Hudson seems to have led a life of varying fortunes, declaring bankruptcy no less than three times, but nonetheless remaining an in-demand session player, and aside from his few solo efforts contributing to works by many fellow artists. This year he was named a Member of the Order of Canada.
He’s not always very visible in the video clips of The Band – or just not focused upon, but if it were not for his sound, they’d have been a much poorer show.
“Up on Cripple Creek” … (sans Robbie) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7LBlByFC2E – they’re a bit older here. Sound isn’t great but it’s an interesting clip – so cool trawling around listening to them – and another version of “Up on Cripple Creek” from The Last Waltz … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsdUzN20Sow - Levon was a genius … but I digress …
Mr Hudson is very evident on “Ophelia” … Lowrey, Bass, Synth and Woodwind … just listen - (a live Last Waltz version here because it's such a joy to watch -
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RjqcTsxx-8)
"The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us." ~ Bill Watterson