The Band Guitarist & Bob Dylan Collaborator Robbie Robertson Passes Away, Aged 80

Robbie Robertson, the guitarist and songwriter in The Band, passed away at 81. He wrote some of The Band’s best-known songs, including Up On Ripple Creek and The Weight.

Known for his work with Bob Dylan throughout the 60s and 70s and his solo music career, Robertson later worked as a music supervisor on numerous films, including as a music producer on Martin Scorsese's movies Casino, The Departed and Gangs Of New York. Before passing, he completed work on the upcoming 14th Scorsese film, Killers Of The Flower Moon.

According to a statement from his manager via Spin, Robertson passed away following a long illness.

“Robbie was surrounded by his family at the time of his death, including his wife, Janet, his ex-wife, Dominique, her partner Nicholas, and his children Alexandra, Sebastian, Delphine, and Delphine’s partner Kenny,” a statement from his manager read. Roberston also had five grandchildren.

Outside of his work with The Band, Robertson played guitar on Ringo Starr’s third solo album, Ringo in 1973, was the guitarist on the Joni Mitchell track Raised On Robbery, played guitar on Eric Clapton’s Sign Language – members of The Band helped with the recording of his album, No Reason To Cry, which was recorded at Shangri-La Studios, collaborated with Neil Diamond in 1976, and more.

Robertson also worked as a producer for Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and Love In Time, a track from the posthumous Roy Orbison album, King Of Hearts. In 2019, Robertson released his sixth and final solo album, Sinematic, which features guest appearances from Van Morrison, Citizen Cope, Derek Trucks and French musician Frédéric Yonnet.

The Band were inducted into the Canadian Juno Hall Of Fame in 1989. In 1994, they were added to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Robertson received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy Of Songwriters in 1997, followed by a star on Canada’s Walk Of Fame in 2003.

He received even more awards from there, including the Governor General's Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement – the highest honour for performing artists in Canada.

“The music world lost a great one with the passing of Robbie Robertson,” Neil Diamond wrote on Twitter. “Keep making that Beautiful Noise in the sky, Robbie. I’ll miss you.”

The Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood, posting photos of himself with Robertson from the Last Waltz concert, added, “Such sad news about Robbie Robertson - he was a lovely man, a great friend and will be dearly missed”.

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band’s guitarist and The Sopranos star Steven Van Zandt wrote, “RIP Robbie Robertson. A good friend and a genius. The Band’s music shocked the excess out of the Renaissance and were an essential part of the final back-to-the-roots trend of ‘60s. He was an underrated brilliant guitar player adding greatly to Bob Dylan’s best tour & best album.”

Keifer Sutherland called Robertson an “icon” and his passing “heartbreaking” on Twitter. He went on to say that “music has lost a poet and a scholar.”

“Robbie Robertson was one of my closest friends, a constant in my life and my work,” Martin Scorsese said in a statement to NBC News. “Long before we ever met, his music played a central role in my life—me and millions and millions of other people all over this world.

“The Band’s music, and Robbie’s own later solo music, seemed to come from the deepest place at the heart of this continent, its traditions and tragedies and joys.”

The music world lost a great one with the passing of Robbie Robertson. Keep making that Beautiful Noise in the sky, Robbie. I’ll miss you.

— Neil Diamond (@NeilDiamond) August 9, 2023

Such sad news about Robbie Robertson - he was a lovely man, a great friend and will be dearly missed xx R

Photographs from The Last Waltz pic.twitter.com/I7IHXGJyYj

— Ronnie Wood (@ronniewood) August 9, 2023

RIP Robbie Robertson. A good friend and a genius. The Band’s music shocked the excess out of the Renaissance and were an essential part of the final back-to-the-roots trend of ‘60s. He was an underrated brilliant guitar player adding greatly to Bob Dylan’s best tour & best album.

— 🕉🇺🇦🟦Stevie Van Zandt☮️💙 (@StevieVanZandt) August 9, 2023

The loss of Robbie Robertson is heartbreaking. Canada has lost an icon, and music has lost a poet and a scholar.

— Kiefer Sutherland (@RealKiefer) August 9, 2023