On This Day in 2023, Canadian musician, songwriter, film composer, producer and actor, Robbie Robertson died at the age of 80, after a year-long battle with prostate cancer.

Robbie joined The Hawks in 1962 who eventually became known as The Band after touring the US and the world supporting Bob Dylan throughout 1965 and 1966.

As a songwriter, Robertson is credited for writing ‘The Weight’, ‘The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down’, ‘Up on Cripple Creek’, ‘Broken Arrow’ and ‘Somewhere Down the Crazy River’.

This photo of Robbie Robertson and The Band was taken at 56 Parnassus Lane in Saugerties, NY – known to music fans around the world as “Big Pink”

In 1968, after their time with Dylan, the group officially became “The Band” and released their debut album, “Music from Big Pink.”

The album was a critical and commercial success and featured songs like “The Weight” and “Chest Fever.”

All of the songs were written within the walls of Big Pink.