"I Shall Be Released" is a 1967 song written by Bob Dylan.

The Band played it on their debut album, Music from Big Pink (1968), with Richard Manuel singing lead vocals, and Rick Danko and Levon Helm harmonizing in the chorus. A legendary performance of the song was performed near the end of The Band's farewell concert, The Last Waltz, in which all the night's performers (with the exception of Muddy Waters) plus Ringo Starr and Ronnie Wood graced the same stage.

Dylan recorded two primary versions. The first is the Basement Tapes initial recording, recorded in 1967 and released on Bootleg Series 1-3 in 1991. Dylan recorded the song a second time in 1971, releasing this new recording on Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II.

In 1969, the Jamaican harmony group The Heptones covered "I Shall Be Released" as a Reggae tune in 1969 for Studio One and then later on in 1976 at Lee "Scratch" Perry's Black Ark studio and label for the album Party Time.

Other versions[link]

"I Shall Be Released" has been covered many times by many different artists. It has been recorded by The Earl Scruggs Revue, The Marmalade, Joan Baez, Peter, Paul and Mary, Joe Cocker, Tremeloes, Bette Midler, The Box Tops, The Byrds, Rick Nelson, Melissa Etheridge, Coheed and Cambria, Tom Robinson Band, Nina Simone, The Slackers, Paul Weller, Jerry Garcia Band, Sting, The Deftones, The Hollies, Pearls Before Swine, OK Go, Beth Rowley, Big Mama Thornton, Chatham County Line, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Jack Johnson, Martin Harley, Kiosk, Maroon 5 and South Africa's Mahotella Queens.

The song has been performed live by, amongst others, Jeff Buckley, Johnny Cash, Gene Clark, Jerry Garcia Band, The Magic Numbers, Martha Wainwright, Wilco, Fleet Foxes, Jack Johnson, Joe Cocker, Ben Harper, U2, Cass Elliot, Mary Travers, Joni Mitchell, The Who, Neil Young, Eddie Vedder, Chrissie Hynde, Zac Brown Band, The Band of Heathens, Mama Cass Elliot and the Wood Brothers. In addition, The Beatles performed it as an unreleased part of the Get Back/Let It Be sessions.

An unrehearsed spur of the moment inspired recording of this song in May 1971 by Elvis Presley was released in 1995

A recording by Mack James & Broadway Inspirational Voices featured in the film "A Home at the End of the World" (2004).

Personnel on The Band version[link]

• Rick Danko – Bass guitar, backing vocal
• Levon Helm – Drums, strummed snare drum, backing vocal
• Garth Hudson – Roxochord organ
• Richard Manuel – Lead vocal, piano
• Robbie Robertson – Electric guitar

Published, print[link]

• Rise Up Singing page 102, states copyright 1967 and 1976.

References[link]

The Band
The Band in Hamburg, 1971 Left to right: Manuel, Danko, Robertson, and Helm.
Background information
Also known as	Levon and the Hawks Canadian Squires
Origin	Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Genres	Roots rock, Americana
Years active	1964 (1964)–1976, 1983–1999
Labels	Capitol, Rhino, Warner Bros.
Associated acts	Ronnie Hawkins & The Hawks, Bob Dylan, John Simon, Van Morrison, Allen Toussaint
Past members
Rick Danko Levon Helm Garth Hudson Richard Manuel Robbie Robertson Richard Bell Randy Ciarlante Stan Szelest Jim Weider

The Band was an acclaimed and influential roots rock group. The original group consisted of Rick Danko (bass guitar, double bass, fiddle, trombone, vocals), Levon Helm (drums, mandolin, guitar, vocals), Garth Hudson (keyboard instruments, saxophones, trumpet), Richard Manuel (piano, drums, baritone saxophone, vocals) and Robbie Robertson (guitar, vocals). All five members were notable musicians in their own right.

The members of the Band first came together as they joined rockabilly singer Ronnie Hawkins's backing group, The Hawks, one by one between 1958 and 1963. Upon leaving Hawkins in 1964, they were briefly known as the Levon Helm Sextet with sax player Jerry Penfound being the sixth member, then Levon and the Hawks after Penfound's departure. In 1965, they released a single on Ware Records under the name Canadian Squires, but returned as Levon and the Hawks for a recording session for Atco later in 1965.^[1] At about the same time, Bob Dylan recruited Helm and Robertson for two concerts, then the entire group for his U.S. tour in 1965 and world tour in 1966.^[2] Dylan continued to collaborate with The Band over the course of their career, including the informal 1967 recordings that became The Basement Tapes and a joint 1974 tour.

Because they were always "the band" to various frontmen, Helm said the name "The Band" worked well when the group came into its own^[3] and left Saugerties, New York, to begin recording their own material. But Alan Livingston, who, as president of EMI records signed them in 1968, claims that he came up with their name when no one could think of what to call them.^[4] They recorded two of the most acclaimed albums of the late 1960s: their 1968 debut Music from Big Pink (featuring the single "The Weight") and 1969's The Band. In 2004, "The Weight" was ranked the 41st best song of all time in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list.^[5]

The Band broke up in 1976, officially ending their touring career with an elaborate live ballroom performance featuring numerous musical celebrities. This performance was immortalized in Martin Scorsese's 1978 documentary The Last Waltz. The Band reformed in 1983 without guitarist Robbie Robertson, who had found success with a solo career and as a Hollywood music producer. The reformed Band were recorded live in concert at Vancouver's Queen Elizabeth Theatre that year, assisted by four extra musicians; It has been released as The Band Reunion and The Band is Back. Following a 1986 show, Richard Manuel was found dead of suicide. However, The Band continued to tour and record albums until the death of Rick Danko in 1999, when the group broke up for good. Levon Helm was diagnosed with throat cancer in 1998, and after a series of treatments was able to regain use of his voice. He continued to perform and released several successful albums until he succumbed to the disease 19 April 2012.

The group was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1989^[6] and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.^[7] In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked them #50 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time,^[8] and in 2008, they received the Grammy's Lifetime Achievement Award.^[9]

Overview[link]

The Band's music fused many elements: primarily old country music and early rock and roll, though the rhythm section often was reminiscent of Stax or Motown, and Robertson cites Curtis Mayfield and the Staple Singers as major influences, resulting in a synthesis of many musical genres. As to the group's songwriting, very few of their early compositions were based on conventional blues and doo-wop chord changes.

Every member was a multi-instrumentalist. There was little instrument-switching when they played live, but when recording, the musicians could make up different configurations in service of the songs. Hudson in particular was able to coax a wide range of timbres from his Lowrey organ; on the choruses of "Tears of Rage", for example, it sounds like a mellotron. Helm's drumming was often praised: critic Jon Carroll declared that Helm was "the only drummer who can make you cry," while prolific session drummer Jim Keltner admits to appropriating several of Helm's techniques.^[10]

Singers Manuel, Danko, and Helm each brought a distinctive voice to The Band: Helm's southern voice had more than a hint of country, Danko sang in a tenor, and Manuel alternated between falsetto and baritone. The singers regularly blended in harmonies. Though the singing was more or less evenly shared among the three men, both Danko and Helm have stated that they saw Manuel as the Band's "lead" singer.

Robertson is credited as writer or co-writer for the majority of The Band's songs, but sang lead vocals on only three of their studio recordings ("To Kingdom Come", "Knockin' Lost John" and "Out Of The Blue"). This role, along with Robertson's resulting claim to the copyright of most of the compositions, would become a point of contention, especially that directed towards Robertson by Helm; In his autobiography This Wheel's on Fire – Levon Helm and the Story of The Band, Helm disputes the validity of Robertson's place as chief songwriter, as The Band's songs were often honed and recorded through collaboration between all members. Robertson for his part angrily denied that Helm had written any of the songs attributed to Robertson^[11] and his daughter later pointed out in a letter to the Los Angeles Times that Levon Helm's solo work consists almost entirely of songs written by others.^[12] Strains first appeared in the 1980s, when the bulk of songwriting royalties were going to Robertson alone while the others had to rely on income from touring. This had not arisen as an issue in the late sixties and early seventies, when a number of Band songs, mostly credited to Robertson alone, were covered successfully by other artists - such as Smith's version of "The Weight" for the Easy Rider soundtrack LP and Joan Baez's cover of "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" in 1971.

Producer John Simon is cited^[13] as a "sixth member" of the Band for producing and playing on Music from Big Pink, co-producing and playing on The Band, and playing on other songs up through the Band's 1993 reunion album Jericho.

History[link]

The Hawks[link]

The members of The Band gradually came together as a part of Toronto-based, rockabilly singer Ronnie Hawkins's backing group, the Hawks: Helm, an original Hawk who journeyed with Hawkins from Arkansas to Ontario, then Robertson, Danko, Manuel and finally, Hudson. Hawkins's act was popular in and around Toronto and he had an effective way of eliminating his musical competition: When a promising band appeared, Hawkins would often hire their best musicians for his own group;^{[citation needed]} Robertson, Danko, and Manuel came under Hawkins' tutelage this way.

While most of the Hawks were eager to join Hawkins's group, getting Hudson to join was a different story. He'd earned a college degree, planned on a career as a music teacher and was interested in playing rock music only as a hobby. The Hawks were in awe of his wild, full-bore organ sound and often begged him to join. Hudson finally relented, so long as the Hawks each paid him $10 per week to be their instructor; all music theory questions were directed to Hudson. While pocketing a little extra cash, Hudson was also able to mollify his family's fears that his education had gone to waste. The piano-organ combination was uncommon in rock music, and for all his aggressive playing, Hudson also brought a level of musical sophistication.

There is a view that jazz is 'evil' because it comes from evil people, but actually the greatest priests on 52nd Street, and on the streets of New York City were the musicians. They were doing the greatest healing work. And they knew how to punch through music which would cure and make people feel good.

—Garth Hudson, The Last Waltz

With Hawkins, they recorded a few singles in this period and became well known as the best rock group in the thriving Toronto music scene.^{[citation needed]} Hawkins regularly convened all-night rehearsals following long club shows, with the result that the young musicians quickly developed great technical prowess on their instruments.

By 1964, the group had split from Hawkins over personal differences. They were tiring of playing the same songs so often and wanted to perform original material, and they were weary of Hawkins's somewhat dictatorial leadership. He would fine the Hawks if they brought their girlfriends to the clubs, fearing it might reduce the numbers of available girls who came to performances, or if they smoked marijuana. Alcohol and pills were acceptable but Canada then had stiff penalties against marijuana possession.

Robertson later said, "Eventually, [Hawkins] built us up to the point where we outgrew his music and had to leave. He shot himself in the foot, really, bless his heart, by sharpening us into such a crackerjack band that we had to go on out into the world, because we knew what his vision was for himself, and we were all younger and more ambitious musically."^[14]

They recorded two singles and toured frequently, usually billed as Levon and the Hawks, but found little success, partly because without Hawkins, they lacked a magnetic frontman.

In 1963, Levon Helm met the groupie Cathy Smith, with whom he and other members of the Band would have a long association.^[15]

In 1965, Helm and the band met blues singer and harmonica player Sonny Boy Williamson. They wanted to record with him, offering to become his backing band, but Williamson died not long after their meeting.

With Bob Dylan[link]

"Big Pink" in 2006

In late summer 1965, Bob Dylan was looking for a backup band for his first U.S. "electric" tour. Levon and the Hawks were recommended by blues singer John Hammond, who earlier that year had used Helm, Hudson and Robertson on his Vanguard album So Many Roads.^[16][17] Around the same time, one of their friends from Toronto was working as secretary to Dylan's manager Albert Grossman. Mary Martin told Dylan to visit the group at the Yonge Street club called the Le Coq d'Or Tavern – though Robbie Robertson recollects it was the Friar's Tavern, just down the street.^[18] Her advice to Dylan: "You gotta see these guys."^[19]

After hearing the band play and meeting with Robertson, Dylan invited Helm and Robertson to join his backing band. After two concerts backing Dylan, Helm and Robertson told Dylan of their loyalty to their bandmates, and told him that they would only continue with him if he hired all of the Hawks. Dylan accepted and invited Levon and the Hawks to tour with him. The group was receptive to the offer, knowing it could give them the wider exposure they craved, but they simultaneously feared that their music was too different from his. They thought of themselves as a tightly rehearsed rock and rhythm and blues group and knew Dylan mostly from his early acoustic folk and protest music. Furthermore, they had little inkling of how internationally popular Dylan had become.^[20]

With Dylan, they played a tumultuous series of concerts from September 1965 through May 1966, marking Dylan's final transition from folkie to rocker. The tours, among the most storied in rock history, were also marked by Dylan's reportedly copious use of methamphetamines. Some, though not all, of the Hawks joined in the excesses.^[21] Most of the concerts were also met with the heckling of folk music purists. Helm was so affected by the negative reception that he left the tour within three months and sat out the rest of that year's concerts, as well as the world tour in 1966.^[22] Helm spent much of this period working on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico.

During and between tours, Dylan and the Hawks attempted several recording sessions, but with less than satisfying results. Sessions in October and November yielded just one usable single ("Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window"), and two days of recording in January 1966 for what was intended to be Dylan's next album, Blonde on Blonde resulted in "One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later)", which was released as a single a few weeks later and was subsequently selected for the album.^[23] On "One Of Us Must Know". Dylan was backed by drummer Bobby Gregg, bassist Rick Danko (or Bill Lee),^{[a 1]} guitarist Robbie Robertson, pianist Paul Griffin, and Al Kooper on organ.^[24] Frustrated by the slow progress in the New York studio, Dylan accepted the suggestion of producer Bob Johnston and moved the recording sessions to Nashville. In Nashville, Robertson's guitar was prominent on the Blonde on Blonde recordings, especially "Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat", but the other members of the Hawks did not attend the sessions.

During the European leg of their 1966 tour, Mickey Jones replaced Sandy Konikoff on drums. (Levon Helm had departed in October 1965, depressed by the booing which greeted their live performances.) Dylan and the Hawks played at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester on May 17, 1966. The gig became legendary when, near the end of Dylan's electric set, an audience member shouted "Judas!". After a pause, Dylan replied, "I don't believe you. You're a liar!" He then turned to the Hawks and said "Play it fucking loud!" With that, they launched into an acidic version of "Like a Rolling Stone".^[25]

The Manchester performance was widely bootlegged (and mistakenly placed at the Royal Albert Hall). The recording of this gig became one of the most famous of Dylan's career, often inspiring a rapturous response in those who heard it. A 1971 review from Creem stated "My response is that crystallization of everything that is rock'n'roll music, at its finest, was to allow my jaw to drop, my body to move, to leap out of the chair ... It is an experience that one desires simply to share, to play over and over again for those he knows thirst for such pleasure. If I speak in an almost worshipful sense about this music, it is not because I have lost perspective, it is precisely because I have found it, within music, yes, that was made five years ago. But it is there and unignorable."^[26] When it finally saw official release in 1998, critic Richie Unterberger declared the record "an important document of rock history."^[27]

On July 29, 1966, while on a break from touring, Dylan was injured in a motorcycle accident, and retired into semi-seclusion in Woodstock, New York.^[28] For a while, the Hawks returned to the bar and roadhouse touring circuit, sometimes backing other singers (including a brief stint with Tiny Tim). Dylan invited the Hawks to join him in Woodstock, where they recorded a much-bootlegged and influential series of demos, subsequently released on LP as The Basement Tapes.

[edit] Music from Big Pink and The Band

Danko, Helm and Manuel in Hamburg, 1971.

Hudson in 1971.

Reunited with Helm, the Hawks began writing their own songs in a rented large pink house, which they affectionately named "Big Pink", in West Saugerties (near Woodstock). When they went into the recording studio, they still did not have a name for themselves. Stories vary as to the manner in which they ultimately adopted the name "The Band." In The Last Waltz, Manuel claimed that they wanted to call themselves either "The Honkies" or "The Crackers", but these names were vetoed by their record label; Robertson suggests that during their time with Dylan everyone just referred to them as "the band" and it stuck. Initially, they disliked the moniker, but eventually grew to like it, thinking it both humble and presumptuous. Rolling Stone referred to them as "The band from Big Pink."^[29]

Their first album, Music from Big Pink (1968) was widely acclaimed. The album included three songs written or co-written by Dylan ("This Wheel's on Fire", "Tears of Rage", and "I Shall Be Released") as well as "The Weight", the use of which in the film Easy Rider would make it probably their best known song. While a continuity certainly ran through the music, there were stylistic leanings in a number of directions. Never a specifically "psychedelic" group, the Band's first record did contain at least one song ("Chest Fever") demonstrating some similarities with that genre. In contrast to his wild guitar playing with Hawkins and Dylan, Robertson opted for a more subdued, riff-oriented approach, often mixed low down in the song.

After the success of Music from Big Pink, the band went on tour, including a performance at the Woodstock Festival (which was not included in the famed Woodstock film due to legal complications) and an appearance with Dylan at the UK Isle of Wight Festival (several songs from which were subsequently included on Dylan's Self Portrait album). That same year, they left for Los Angeles to record their follow-up, The Band (1969). From their deliberately rustic appearance on the cover, to the songs and arrangements within, the album stood in contrast to other popular music of the day. Although it should be noted that, by this point, several acts, notably Dylan on John Wesley Harding (written during The Basement Tapes sessions) and The Byrds on Sweetheart of the Rodeo (featuring two Basement Tapes covers), had made similar stylistic moves. The Band featured songs that evoked oldtime rural America, from the Civil War in "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" to unionization of farm workers in "King Harvest (Has Surely Come)".

These first two records were produced by John Simon, who was practically a group member: he aided in arrangements, and played occasional instruments (piano or tuba). Simon reported that he was often asked about the distinctive horn sections featured so effectively on the first two albums: people wanted to know how they had achieved such memorable sounds. Simon stated that, besides Hudson (an accomplished saxophonist), the others had only rudimentary horn skills, and achieved their sound simply by creatively utilizing their limited technique.^{[citation needed]}

Rolling Stone lavished praise on the Band in this era, giving them more attention than perhaps any other group in the magazine's history;^{[citation needed]} Greil Marcus's articles in particular contributed greatly to the Band's mystique. The Band was also featured on the cover of Time's January 12, 1970 issue.^[30]

A critical and commercial triumph, The Band, along with works by The Byrds and The Flying Burrito Brothers, established a musical template (sometimes dubbed country rock) that later would be taken to even greater levels of commercial success by such artists as the Eagles. Both Big Pink and The Band also influenced their musical contemporaries, with both Eric Clapton and George Harrison citing the Band as a major influence on their musical direction in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Indeed, Clapton later revealed that he had wanted to join the group.^[31]

[edit] Stage Fright, Cahoots and Rock of Ages

Following their second album, the Band embarked on their first tour as a headlining act. The resulting anxiety from fame and its hang-ups was especially evidenced by the group as its songs turned to darker themes of fear and alienation: the influence on their next work is self-explanatory. Stage Fright (1970) was engineered by musician/engineer/producer Todd Rundgren and recorded on a theatre stage in Woodstock, New York, but the fraying of the group's once-fabled unity was beginning to show. As was the case with their previous, self-titled record, Robertson contributed the majority of the songwriting. However, the trademark vocal style of the Band's three lead singers was much less prominent on this work.

After recording Stage Fright, the Band was among the acts participating in the Festival Express, an all-star rock concert tour of Canada by train that also included Janis Joplin and the Grateful Dead. In the concert documentary film, released in 2003, Danko can be seen intoxicated participating in a drunken jam session with Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir and Joplin while singing "Ain't No More Cane."

At about this time, Robertson began exerting greater control over the Band. This has become a point of antipathy, especially between Helm and Robertson. Helm charges Robertson with authoritarianism and greed, while Robertson suggests his increased efforts in guiding the group were due largely to some of the other members being unreliable. In particular, Robertson insists he did his best to coax Manuel into writing or co-writing more songs, only to see Manuel's talents overtaken by addiction.

Despite mounting problems between the musicians, the Band forged ahead with their next album, Cahoots (1971). Cahoots included tunes such as Bob Dylan's "When I Paint My Masterpiece," "4% Pantomime" (with Van Morrison), and "Life Is A Carnival," the last featuring a horn arrangement from Allen Toussaint. Toussaint's contribution was a critical addition to the Band's next project.

In late December of 1971, The Band recorded the live album Rock of Ages, which was released in the summer of 1972. On Rock of Ages, they were bolstered by the addition of a horn section, with arrangements written by Allen Toussaint. Bob Dylan appeared on stage on New Year's Eve and performed four songs with the group, including a version of "When I Paint My Masterpiece".

[edit] Moondog Matinee, 1974 tour and Northern Lights - Southern Cross

Bob Dylan and The Band touring in Chicago in 1974. Left to right: Danko, Robertson, Dylan and Helm.

In 1973, the Band released Moondog Matinee, an album of cover songs. There was no tour in support of the album, which garnered mixed reviews. However, they did open for the Grateful Dead for two summer shows at Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City, New Jersey. They also played at the legendary Summer Jam at Watkins Glen. This massive concert took place at the Grand Prix Raceway outside Watkins Glen, New York on July 28, 1973. The festival, which was attended by over 600,000 music fans, also featured the Grateful Dead and The Allman Brothers Band.

Next, the Band reunited with Dylan, first in recording Dylan's album Planet Waves, released in January 1974, and then for the Bob Dylan and The Band 1974 Tour, which played 40 shows in North America during January and February 1974. Later that year, the live album Before the Flood was released, documenting the tour.

In 1975, now relocated to California and having built their own studio, Shangri-La, The Band released Northern Lights - Southern Cross, their first album of all-new material since 1971's Cahoots. All eight songs were written exclusively by Robertson. Despite poor record sales (due to the elongated period of inactivity by the band) the album is favored by critics and fans alike. Levon Helm regards this album highly in his book, This Wheel's on Fire: "It was the best album we had done since The Band." Highlights from the album included the Helm sung New Orleans sounding "Ophelia" and Rick Danko's emotionally driven vocal on "It Makes no Difference," both of which were performed live in The Last Waltz. Another notable song from the album was the epic story "Acadian Driftwood" which was also performed at the Last Waltz, but not included in the movie. The album also produced more experimentation from Hudson switching to synthesizers, heavily showcased on "Jupiter Hollow."

[edit] The Last Waltz and Islands

The Band with guests at The Last Waltz concert. Photo: David Gans

By 1976, Robbie Robertson was weary of touring. After having to cancel tour dates due to Richard Manuel suffering a severe neck injury in a boating accident in Texas, Robertson urged the Band to retire from touring, and conceived of a massive Thanksgiving Day concert on November 25, 1976 at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco, California.^[32] The concert featured a horn section with arrangements by Allen Toussaint and a stellar list of guests, including other Canadian acts Joni Mitchell and Neil Young. Two of the guests were fundamental to The Band's existence and growth: Ronnie Hawkins and Bob Dylan. Other guests they admired (and in most cases had worked with before) included Muddy Waters, Dr. John, Van Morrison, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Ronnie Wood, Paul Butterfield, and Neil Diamond. The concert was recorded by Robertson's friend, filmmaker Martin Scorsese.

In 1977, The Band recorded their seventh studio album Islands. This was done in order to fulfill their record contract with Capitol so that a planned Last Waltz film and album could be released on the Warner Bros. label. Islands contained a mix of originals and covers, and was the last with The Band's original lineup. That same year, the group recorded soundstage performances with country singer Emmylou Harris ("Evangeline") and gospel-soul group The Staple Singers ("The Weight"); Scorsese combined these new performances, as well as interviews he had conducted with the group, with the 1976 concert footage. The resulting concert film-documentary was released in 1978, along with a triple-LP soundtrack.

Reformation[link]

In 1983, The Band reformed and recommenced touring, though without Robertson. Several musicians, mostly from the group's Ronnie Hawkins days, were recruited as touring personnel to replace Robertson and to fill out the group. The reunited Band was generally well-received, but found themselves playing in smaller venues than during the peak of their popularity.

After a performance in Florida on March 4, 1986, Richard Manuel committed suicide, aged 42, in his motel room. It was later revealed that he had suffered for many years from chronic alcoholism and drug addiction. According to Levon Helm's autobiography, in the later stages of his illness, Manuel was consuming eight bottles of Grand Marnier per day. Manuel's position as pianist was filled by old friend Stan Szelest (who died not long after), then by Richard Bell. Bell had played with Ronnie Hawkins after the departure of the original Hawks, and was best known from his days as a member of Janis Joplin's Full Tilt Boogie Band.

The Band was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame at the 1989 Juno Awards, where Robertson was reunited with original members Danko and Hudson. That same year saw Robertson win three awards for his eponymous debut solo album. With Canadian country rock superstars Blue Rodeo as a back-up band, Music Express called the 1989 Juno appearance a symbolic "passing of the torch" from The Band to Blue Rodeo.

The group recorded Jericho in 1993 with much of the songwriting coming from outside of the group. Two more post-reunion efforts followed, High on the Hog (1996) and Jubilation (1998); the latter included guest appearances from Eric Clapton and John Hiatt. In 1994, The Band performed at Woodstock '94. Later that year Robertson appeared with Danko and Hudson as The Band for the second time since the original group broke up. The occasion was the induction of The Band into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Helm, who had been at odds with Robertson for years over accusations of stolen songwriting credits, did not attend.^[33]

On December 10, 1999, Rick Danko died in his sleep at the age of 56. Following his death, The Band broke up for good. In 2002, Robertson bought all other former members' financial interests in the group, with the exception of Helm,^[34] giving him major control of the presentation of the group's material, including latter-day compilations.^{[citation needed]}

Richard Bell passed away due to multiple myeloma in June 2007. The Band received a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award on February 9, 2008 but there was no reunion of all three living members. In honor of the event, Helm held a Midnight Ramble in Woodstock, NY.^[35] On April 17, 2012, it was announced via Helm's official website that he was in the "final stages of cancer".^[36] Helm died two days later.^[37]

Members' other endeavors[link]

All of The Band's members remained active in music to one degree or another.

Robertson became a music producer and wrote movie soundtracks (including acting as music supervisor for several of Scorsese's films) before a highly praised comeback with a Daniel Lanois produced, eponymous solo album in 1987. He released a second solo album, Storyville, in 1991 and another album in 2010. He also released a newly remixed version of the already heavily overdubbed The Last Waltz.

Helm received many plaudits for his acting debut in Coal Miner's Daughter, a biographical film about Loretta Lynn, and for his narration and small supporting role opposite Sam Shepard in 1983's The Right Stuff. He has appeared in small roles in a number of other films.

In the late 70s and 80s, Helm released several solo albums and toured with a band called Levon Helm and the RCO Allstars. In 2007 Helm released a new album, a homage to his southern roots called Dirt Farmer, which was awarded a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album on February 9, 2008. Electric Dirt followed in 2009 and won the inaugural Grammy Award for Best Americana Album. His 2011 live album Ramble at the Ryman was nominated in the same category and won.^[38] Helm regularly performed Midnight Ramble concerts at his home and studio in Woodstock, New York, and toured.^[39]

In 1977, Rick Danko released his eponymous debut solo album, which featured the other four members of The Band on various tracks. In 1984, Danko joined members of the Byrds, the Flying Burrito Brothers and others in the huge touring company that made up "The Byrds Twenty-Year Celebration." Several members of the band performed solo songs to start the show including Danko who performed "Mystery Train". Danko also released a number of solo albums.

Hudson played keyboards on the first three albums by The Call. Hudson has released two acclaimed solo CDs, The Sea To The North in 2001, and LIVE at the WOLF in 2005, both featuring his wife, Maud, on vocals. He has also kept busy as an in-demand studio musician. He is featured extensively on recordings of Country/Indie star Neko Case. Hudson contributed an original electronic score to an Off-Broadway production of Dragon Slayers, written by Stanley Keyes and directed by Brad Mays in 1986 at the Union Square Theatre in New York, which was re-staged with a new cast in Los Angeles in 1990. In 2010, Hudson released Garth Hudson Presents: A Canadian Celebration of The Band featuring Canadian artists covering songs that were recorded by The Band. Participants included Neil Young, Bruce Cockburn, Blue Rodeo, Cowboy Junkies, The Trews, Great Big Sea, Hawksley Workman, Mary Margaret O'Hara, Chantal Kreviazuk, Raine Maida, Ian Thornley, The Sadies, Suzie McNeil, Kevin Hearn, Danny Brooks, Peter Katz and The Road Hammers.

Influence[link]

The Band has influenced numerous bands, songwriters, and performers, from the Grateful Dead and The Beatles to Eric Clapton, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young,^[40] Led Zeppelin,^[41] Elvis Costello,^[42] Elton John,^[43] and Phish.^[44]

The album Music from Big Pink, in particular, is credited with contributing to Clapton's decision to leave the super group Cream. In his introduction of The Band during the Bob Dylan 30th Anniversary Concert, Clapton announced that in 1968 he'd heard the album, "and it changed my life", he said.^[45] Guitarist Richard Thompson has openly acknowledged the album's influence on Fairport Convention's Liege and Lief, and journalist John Harris has suggested that The Band's debut also influenced the spirit of The Beatles' back-to-basics album Let It Be as well as The Rolling Stones' string of roots-infused albums that began with Beggars Banquet.^[46] Meanwhile, the Big Pink song "The Weight" has been covered numerous times, and in various musical styles.

In the nineties, a new generation of bands influenced by The Band began to gain popularity, including Counting Crows and The Black Crowes. Counting Crows indicated this influence with their tribute to the late Richard Manuel, "If I Could Give All My Love (Richard Manuel Is Dead)" from their album Hard Candy. The Black Crowes frequently cover Band songs during live performances, such as "The Night They Drove Ol' Dixie Down", which appears on their DVD Freak 'n' Roll into the Fog.^[47] They have also recorded at Helm's studio in Woodstock.

The inspiration for the classic rock-influenced band The Hold Steady came while members Craig Finn and Tad Kubler were watching The Last Waltz.^[48] Rick Danko and Robbie Robertson are namechecked in the lyrics of "The Swish" from The Hold Steady's 2004 debut album Almost Killed Me.^[49] Also that year, southern rock-revivalists Drive-By Truckers released the track "Danko/Manuel" on the album The Dirty South.

In January 2007, a tribute album, entitled Endless Highway: The Music of The Band, was released which included contributions by My Morning Jacket, Death Cab for Cutie, Gomez, Guster, Bruce Hornsby, Jack Johnson and ALO, Leanne Womack, The Allman Brothers Band, Blues Traveler, Jakob Dylan, and Rosanne Cash, amongst others.

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

Live albums[link]

Lineups[link]

id:drumspre     value:lavender 
id:guitarpre    value:drabgreen 
id:basspre      value:gray(0.70)   
id:keyboardspre value:coral   
id:pianopre     value:skyblue   
id:Bass         value:gray(0.40)   legend:Bass 
id:Drums        value:purple       legend:Drums
id:Keyboards    value:red          legend:Keyboards
id:Piano        value:brightblue   legend:Piano
id:Guitar       value:teal         legend:Guitar
id:studio       value:pink         legend:Studio_album
id:live         value:dullyellow   legend:Live_album

bar:Danko text:"Rick Danko"
bar:Helm text:"Levon Helm"
bar:Hudson text:"Garth Hudson"
bar:Manuel text:"Richard Manuel"
bar:Robertson text:"Robbie Robertson"
bar:Weider text:"Jim Weider"
bar:Szelest text:"Stan Szelest"
bar:Ciarlante text:"Randy Ciarlante"
bar:Bell text:"Richard Bell"

width:10 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4)
bar:Danko from:05/01/1960 till:09/01/1961 color:guitarpre
bar:Danko from:09/01/1961 till:12/12/1963 color:basspre
bar:Danko from:01/01/1964 till:11/25/1976 color:Bass
bar:Danko from:06/25/1983 till:end color:Bass
bar:Helm from:07/01/1957 till:12/12/1963  color:drumspre
bar:Helm from:01/01/1964 till:05/01/1966  color:Drums
bar:Helm from:10/01/1967 till:11/25/1976  color:Drums
bar:Helm from:06/25/1983 till:end color:Drums
bar:Hudson from:12/25/1961 till:12/12/1963 color:keyboardspre
bar:Hudson from:01/01/1964 till:11/25/1976 color:Keyboards
bar:Hudson from:06/25/1983 till:end color:Keyboards
bar:Manuel from:07/01/1961 till:12/12/1963  color:pianopre
bar:Manuel from:01/01/1964 till:11/25/1976  color:Piano
bar:Manuel from:06/25/1983 till:03/04/1986 color:Piano
bar:Robertson from:08/01/1959 till:12/12/1960 color:basspre
bar:Robertson from:01/01/1961 till:12/12/1963 color:guitarpre
bar:Robertson from:01/01/1964 till:11/25/1976 color:Guitar
bar:Szelest from:01/01/1960 till:01/01/1961 color:pianopre
bar:Szelest from:01/01/1990 till:01/20/1991 color:Piano
bar:Weider from:07/01/1985 till:end color:Guitar
bar:Ciarlante from:10/01/1990 till:end color:Drums
bar:Bell from:01/01/1992 till:end color:Piano

at:01/01/1964 color:black      layer:back width:0.1
at:07/01/1968 color:pink       layer:back width:2
at:09/22/1969 
at:08/17/1970 
at:09/15/1971 
at:10/15/1973 
at:01/17/1974
at:06/26/1975 
at:11/01/1975 
at:03/15/1977
at:11/02/1993 
at:02/27/1996 
at:10/13/1998 color:dullyellow layer:back width:4.8
at:09/15/1998 color:pink       layer:back width:2
at:08/15/1972 color:dullyellow layer:back width:2
at:06/20/1974
at:04/07/1978 
at:04/04/1995
at:end color:black      layer:back width:0.1
points:(101,025)(101,030) color:brightblue width:1
points:(198,025)(198,030) color:brightblue width:1
points:(252,025)(252,030) color:brightblue width:1
points:(378,025)(378,030) color:brightblue width:1
points:(470,025)(470,030) color:brightblue width:1
points:(700,025)(700,030) color:brightblue width:1

pos:(106,025) textcolor:brightblue fontsize:7 text: w/ Hawkins' Hawks 
pos:(205,025) textcolor:brightblue fontsize:7 text: pre-Band
pos:(273,025) textcolor:brightblue fontsize:7 text: original incarnation
pos:(405,025) textcolor:brightblue fontsize:7 text: defunct 
pos:(558,025) textcolor:brightblue fontsize:7 text: reformed 

References[link]

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

See also[link]

• Canadian rock
• Music of Canada

External links[link]

	Book: The Band
Wikipedia books are collections of articles that can be downloaded or ordered in print.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: The Band

• A definitive The Band resource ("no longer active, but our massive archives will be kept on-line")
• The Band - A Musical History, official site from Capitol Records
• The Band discography at Discogs
• The Band at Allmusic
• The Band at the Internet Movie Database
• The Band at Rolling Stone magazine
• The Band and I by Barney Hoskyns

Ronnie Wood
Background information
Birth name	Ronald David Wood
Born	(1947-06-01) 1 June 1947 (age 65) Hillingdon, Middlesex, England
Genres	Rock, blues, blues rock, rock and roll, psychedelic rock, hard rock
Occupations	Musician, songwriter, record producer, painter, Radio personality
Instruments	Guitar, bass, pedal steel guitar, lap steel guitar, harmonica, saxophone, drums, vocals, nose flute
Years active	1964–present
Labels	Warner Bros.
Associated acts	The Birds, The Creation, The Jeff Beck Group, Faces, The Rolling Stones, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam, The Insects, The New Barbarians
Website	www.ronniewood.com
Notable instruments
Various Zemaitis models ESP Ron Wood signature model Duesenberg signature model Versoul guitars Fender Stratocaster

Ronald David "Ronnie" Wood (born 1 June 1947) is an English rock guitarist and bassist best known as a former member of The Jeff Beck Group, Faces, and a member of The Rolling Stones since 1975. He also plays lap and pedal steel guitar.

Wood began his career in 1964, when he joined The Birds on guitar.^[1] He then joined the mod group The Creation, but only remained with the group for a short time, and appeared on a small number of singles. Wood joined The Jeff Beck Group in 1967. They released two albums, Truth and Beck-Ola, which became moderate successes. The group split in 1969, and Wood departed along with lead vocalist Rod Stewart to join former Small Faces members Ronnie Lane, Ian McLagan, and Kenney Jones in a new group, dubbed the Faces. The group, although relegated to "cult" status in the US, found great success in the UK and mainland Europe. The Faces released their debut album, First Step, in 1970. The group went on to release Long Player and A Nod Is as Good as a Wink... to a Blind Horse in 1971. Their last LP, entitled Ooh La La, was released in 1973. After the group split, Wood began several solo projects, eventually recording his first solo LP, I've Got My Own Album to Do, in 1974. The album featured former bandmate McLagan as well as former Beatle George Harrison and Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones, a longtime friend of Wood's. Richards soon invited Wood to join The Rolling Stones, after the departure of Mick Taylor. Wood joined in 1975, and has remained a member ever since.^[1]

Besides I've Got My Own Album to Do, Wood has recorded several other solo efforts. Now Look was released in 1975, and peaked at number 118 on Billboard, and Wood collaborated with Ronnie Lane for the soundtrack album Mahoney's Last Stand. He released Gimme Some Neck in 1979, which hit number 45 in the US. 1234 was released in 1981, peaking at number 164. He released Slide on This in 1992, Not for Beginners came out in 2002.^[1] and I Feel Like Playing in 2010. As a member of the Rolling Stones, Wood was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989, and was inducted a second time, as a member of Faces, in April 2012.^[2][3]

Music career[link]

1960s[link]

Wood began his career as a professional musician in 1964 as a guitarist with The Birds, an R&B band based in Yiewsley, West London. A popular live act with a considerable fan base, The Birds released several singles in the mid-1960s;^[4] Wood wrote or co-wrote nearly half the songs the group recorded.^[5]

By 1967 the Birds had disbanded, and Wood briefly took part in a project called Santa Barbara Machine Head before joining the Jeff Beck Group as a bassist. Along with vocalist Rod Stewart, Wood did several tours with Beck, and recorded two albums: Truth in 1968 and Beck-Ola in 1969. In between Jeff Beck Group projects Wood also worked with The Creation.^[6]

In 1969, after Steve Marriott left the Small Faces, Wood began working with the remaining members of that group, returning to his instrument of choice: the guitar. This line-up, plus Rod Stewart and ex-Bird Kim Gardner, teamed up with Wood's brother Art Wood in a formation called Quiet Melon, making a handful of recordings in May 1969.^[6] After the Jeff Beck Group's fifth US tour in July, Wood and Stewart joined the former Small Faces full-time, and the band's name was changed to Faces.^[7]

1970s[link]

Wood (left) whilst in Faces, with Rod Stewart (right)

In the first half of the 1970s, Faces released four studio albums and were among the top-grossing live acts of the period.^[8] Besides his distinctive guitar work, Wood contributed harmonica, vocals and bass to the band's recordings, and co-wrote many of their songs, including "Stay With Me" and "Ooh La La". He also played on bandmate Stewart's first few solo albums, and is co-writer of the Rod Stewart songs "Gasoline Alley" and "Every Picture Tells a Story",^[6] as well as several songs on Never a Dull Moment.

In 1972, Wood and Faces bassist Ronnie Lane composed the soundtrack to the film Mahoney's Last Stand;^[6] the soundtrack, which was released as an LP in 1976, also features Faces bandmates Ian McLagan and Kenney Jones, along with contributions from Pete Townshend and Ric Grech. Wood also performed with Townshend, Grech, Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi and Eric Clapton at Clapton's Rainbow Concert in 1973.

In December 1973, Wood collaborated with Mick Jagger on the song "It's Only Rock'n Roll (But I Like It)".^[9] Both Jagger and Keith Richards contributed to Wood's first solo album, I've Got My Own Album to Do, released in 1974^[6] and recorded at Wood's private studio in the basement of his home in London, The Wick.

Wood in Candlestick Park on tour with The Rolling Stones

Following Mick Taylor's departure from the Rolling Stones in December 1974, Wood participated in the band's March 1975 recording sessions for their forthcoming album Black and Blue.^[10][11] Although still a member of the Faces, he toured North America with the Rolling Stones in 1975; the Faces announced their break-up in December of that year, and Wood was officially declared a member of the Rolling Stones in February 1976.^[12]

NME – August 1976^[13]

In the Rolling Stones, Wood plays the slide guitar as Taylor had done before him, adding both lap steel and pedal steel guitar. In addition, Wood, as his predecessors did, exchanges roles on the guitar with Richards, often blurring the boundaries between rhythm and lead, even within a particular song.^[14] He also occasionally plays bass guitar, as seen during 1975 concert performances of "Fingerprint File", when Mick Jagger played rhythm guitar and bassist Bill Wyman moved to synthesizer. The Rolling Stones single "Emotional Rescue" also features Wood on bass. He has been given credit as a co-writer for a dozen songs, including "Dance", "Black Limousine", "One Hit (to the Body)" and "Had It With You".

In 1975, Wood released his second solo album, Now Look; his third, Gimme Some Neck, came out in 1979. To promote it, Wood formed and toured with The New Barbarians, playing 20 concerts in Canada and the US in April/May and the Knebworth Festival in the UK in August.^[15][16]

1980s[link]

Throughout the 1980s, Wood played as a member of the Rolling Stones; continued his solo career, releasing the album 1234 in 1981; painted; and collaborated with a number of other artists, including Prince, Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Eric Clapton, Bo Diddley, Ringo Starr and Aretha Franklin.

At the 1985 Live Aid Concert in Philadelphia, Wood along with Keith Richards performed in the penultimate set with Bob Dylan. During the performance of "Blowin' in the Wind", one of Dylan's guitar strings broke. Wood gave Dylan his guitar in order to keep the performance seamless, and played air guitar until a stagehand brought him a replacement.^[17]

In 1988 Wood opened "Woody's on the Beach" in Miami, a club featuring a house band headed by Bobby Keys, hosting performances by local acts, friends of Wood's and occasionally Wood himself. The defunct hotel which housed the club allowed Wood to set up a VIP area upstairs, displaying Wood's artwork and providing private party areas. The club was popular, but was closed due to complaints from neighbours who found it too loud.^[18]

1990s-2010s[link]

Wood (left) with Keith Richards (right) as an official Rolling Stone

In 1990 Wood was made a fully-fledged partner in the Rolling Stones' financial organization.^[19] During the 1990s the Rolling Stones released two studio albums and three concert albums, as well as touring in 1990, 1994–95 and 1997–99.^[10]

In addition, Wood released his seventh solo album, Slide On This, in 1992; he toured to promote this album in North America and Japan. His appearance in 1993 with former bandmate Rod Stewart on MTV Unplugged resulted in a hit album entitled Unplugged...and Seated; the concert album that Wood released in 1993 from his own tour was called Slide On Live: Plugged In and Standing.^[10]

Wood also contributed to Bo Diddley's 1996 album A Man Amongst Men, playing slide guitar on the tracks "Hey Baby", "A Man Amongst Men" and "Oops! Bo Diddley" and guitar on "I Can't Stand It".

Since 2000 Wood has continued to combine solo work with his Rolling Stones schedule. Following the 2001 release of his album Not For Beginners, Wood toured England and Ireland in 2001 and 2002 with his own group, The Ronnie Wood Band. The band included members of his own family, Slash and Andrea Corr. After the tour a DVD called Far East Man was released.

Wood toured with the Rolling Stones in 2002 and 2003; in 2004 he performed several one-off concerts and guest appearances, including a number of appearances with Rod Stewart. Later in the year the two expressed intentions of finishing the studio work on a collaborative album to be entitled You Strum and I'll Sing. In 2005, however, Wood was again busy with the Rolling Stones as they recorded their A Bigger Bang album. Although only playing on ten of the album's sixteen tracks, Wood embarked on the tour which ran through till August 2007.^[10]

In 2005 Wood launched his own record company, Wooden Records, which has released recordings by his daughter Leah, The New Barbarians and others.

Wood with the Rolling Stones at Virginia Tech. (2005)

In November 2006, during a break in the Rolling Stones' A Bigger Bang tour, Wood played guitar on three tracks for British soul artist Beverley Knight's album Music City Soul, released in 2007.^[10]

On 9 May 2009, Wood along with Red Hot Chili Peppers members Anthony Kiedis, Michael "Flea" Balzary, Chad Smith and musician Ivan Neville performed under the name, The Insects at the fifth annual MusiCares event honoring Kiedis.^[20]

On 11 August 2009 Wood joined Pearl Jam on the stage of Shepherd's Bush Empire in London for a performance of "All Along the Watchtower".^{[citation needed]}

Ronnie Wood, Bill Wyman and Mick Hucknall at Faces reunion performance, 25 October 2009

On 25 October 2009, Wood, Ian McLagan and Kenny Jones joined forces for a Faces performance at London's Royal Albert Hall on behalf of the Performing Rights Society's Music Members' Benevolent Fund. Bill Wyman played bass and lead vocals were shared by several performers, notably Mick Hucknall.^[21] Rod Stewart, who had earlier denied rumours of plans for a Faces reunion in 2009,^[22] was not present.

On 2 November 2009 Wood was given an "Outstanding Contribution" award at the Classic Rock Roll of Honour ceremony in London. Pete Townshend presented the award.^[23][24]

Since 9 April 2010, Wood has presented his own radio show on Absolute Radio. Airing on Saturday night from 10pm, the show lasts one hour and consists of Wood playing tracks by artists he has worked with and other personal favourites.^[25]

In May 2011 Ronnie Wood won the Sony Radio Personality of the Year award for The Ronnie Wood Show.^[26]

Personal life[link]

Wood with promoter Joseph Donofrio, 2006.

Wood was born in Hillingdon, London, into a family of English "water gypsies" (river/canal barge operators, sometimes also called "bargees"). He has said that his generation was the first in the family to be born on dry land.^[27] He grew up in Yiewsley and attended St Stephen's Primary School and St Matthew's Church of England Secondary School, Yiewsley.^[28]

Both of his older brothers, Art and Ted, were graphic artists as well as musicians. Ted Wood died in 2004, and Art Wood in 2006.^[29]

Wood has four children. Jesse is his son with his first wife, Krissy (née Findlay), a former model to whom he was married from 1971 to 1978; (during this time he had an affair with George Harrison's former wife, Pattie Boyd). Krissy died in 2005. In 1985 Wood married his second wife, Jo Wood (née Karslake), mother of his daughter Leah and son Tyrone; her son Jamie from a previous relationship completes the family. Also a former model, Jo Wood has developed a successful line of organic beauty products.^[30] The Woods own homes in Kingston Vale in Greater London and County Kildare, Ireland.^[31]

Wood has been frank about his struggle with alcoholism; although reports between 2003 and 2006 had indicated that he had been sober since the Rolling Stones' 2002-03 tour, in June 2006 it was reported that Wood was entering rehab for a couple of weeks following a spell of increased alcohol abuse.^[32][33] By July 2008, ITN news reported that Wood had checked himself into rehab a total of six times; the last time being before the wedding of his daughter Leah. He had plans once again for a seventh admission.^[34]

In July 2008 he left his wife for Ekaterina Ivanova (variously reported to be between 18 and 21 years old at the time), whom he had met in a London club.^[35] Wood checked into rehab again on 16 July 2008.^[36][37] Jo Wood filed for divorce and was granted a decree nisi in November 2009.^[38]

On 3 December 2009, Wood was arrested over assault "in connection with a domestic incident".^[39] He was officially cautioned for this offence on 22 December 2009.^[40] Following this incident, Wood and Ivanova parted ways, and Ivanova later asserted that at his worst Wood drank up to a litre of spirits a day, took cocaine and chain smoked up to 50 cigarettes.^[41]

He is currently dating model Ana Paula Araújo.[1]

Artwork[link]

Wood is a well-known visual artist. When he was a child his drawings were featured on the BBC television programme Sketch Club; he won one of that programme's competitions, an achievement he refers to as his "awakening to art".^[42] He went on to train at the Ealing Art College, as both his brothers had. Other notable musicians, Freddie Mercury of Queen, and Pete Townshend of The Who, also attended in the 1960s.^[43]

Wood's paintings, drawings and prints frequently feature icons of popular culture and have been exhibited all over the world. Several of his paintings, including a work commissioned by Andrew Lloyd-Webber, are displayed at London's Drury Lane Theatre.^[44] Art critic Brian Sewell has called Wood "an accomplished and respectable artist";^[45] and the South Bank Show has devoted an entire programme to his artwork.^[46] Liberty & Co. has produced a clothing line using fabrics printed with Wood's art.^[47] Wood has maintained a long-standing relationship with the San Francisco Art Exchange who first exhibited his work in 1987.^[48] Wood is also the co-owner (along with sons Jamie and Tyrone) of a London art gallery called Scream.^[49]

Books, films and television appearances[link]

To date, Wood has three books to his credit: a short collection of autobiographical anecdotes entitled The Works, illustrated with Wood's artwork, co-authored by Bill German and published in 1988; a limited-edition art book entitled Wood on Canvas: Every Picture Tells a Story, published in 1998; and his 2007 autobiography Ronnie, written in collaboration with his son in law Jack MacDonald and Jeffrey Robinson.

In addition to numerous Faces and Rolling Stones concert films, broadcasts and documentaries, Wood performed alongside The Band, Bob Dylan and many others in the finale of the documentary The Last Waltz, filmed in 1976.^[50] He has made cameo appearances in feature films including The Deadly Bees (1967), The Wild Life (1984) and 9½ Weeks (1986), as well as on television programmes including The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash (1978).^[51][52] In October 2007 Wood appeared on the television motor show Top Gear, achieving a celebrity lap time of 1:49.4.^[53]