Album of the Day

On Thanksgiving Day 1976, The Band took the stage for the final time at the Winterland Theatre in San Francisco. For what was billed as The Last Waltz, Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel and Robbie Robertson were joined by performers including Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Muddy Waters and Neil Young. The event was documented by director Martin Scorsese, and the accompanying soundtrack shows why The Band was among the most acclaimed groups in rock. Along with stirring live versions of “Up On Cripple Creek,” “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,” “The Shape I'm In” and signature songs from some of the guest stars, the triple-album closes with an elegiac suite recorded specifically for the occasion. Rick Danko was born 80 years ago today and we'll take one more trip around the dancefloor to remember the bassist with THE LAST WALTZ.