Love for Levon: Benefit To Save The Barn was a concert held on October 3, 2012 at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The concert was a tribute to the life of The Band lead vocalist and drummer Levon Helm, who had passed away on April 19, 2012. The concert featured a wide variety of musicians who had worked with Helm as well as musicians who were influenced by him. Proceeds from the concert went towards keeping Helm’s Woodstock barn in his family’s control as well as continuing his Midnight Ramble concert series in the barn. The concert’s musical directors were Don Was and Helm’s frequent collaborator Larry Campbell. The concert was released on CD and DVD on March 19, 2013.
So far I’ve listened to half of the first disc and haven’t watched the DVD yet. These are quality covers with an all-star guest list that is too long to include. My choice for today is Little Birds, which I never heard before. Little Birds is a traditional tune that was on Levon’s, “Dirt Farmer” CD set. This version of Little Birds features Larry Campbell (fiddle), Justin Guip (drums), Amy Helm (lead singer), Byron Isaacs (bass) & Teresa Williams (guitar).
Little birds are singing all around me, on every bush and vine,
My pleasures would be doubled if I could call you mine.
As I’ve sat here the whole night through ’til now it’s a breakin’ day,
I’m a-waitin’ for an answer, kind lady what do you say?
If I could tell to you my mind, I’d choose a single life,
For I would never thought that it suited for me to be your wife.
So he wrote to her an answer and he sent it by full speed,
“You know I once did love you dearly, I once loved you indeed.”
*[“But since that time my mind has changed, I loved another way,
I love a pretty fair damsel more suitable for me”]
And it had not been, but a very short time ’til this maiden’s mind did change,
She wrote him a letter, “Kind sir I am ashamed,
“If ever I have slighted you, or ever done you wrong,
I am so far away from you that I can’t hear you moan”
Little birds are singing all around me, on every bush and vine,
My pleasures would be doubled if I could call you mine;
My pleasures would be doubled if I could call you mine
Songwriter: Traditional
*not sung in this version
Tao Talk 
Great coloring- and great music. I got to see The Band once in the early 90’s no Robbie or Richard though.. I can’t think of another group with three singers the quality of The Bands!
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You’re blessed to have seen them. There is a tribute concert/album I’m trying to re-find the name of where Garth organized it in Canada. You don’t happen to know what I’m talking about do you? I want to see if the L has it.
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Hmmm. I don’t know..
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I would have loved to have gone to one of the Rambles they had. I’ve seen some stuff by Levon’s daughter…she is talented.
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Max I think the Rambles continue. I tried to get into the site last night and kept timing out (my gb allowance must have run out) but it looks like the shows continue :)
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That is cool. They are expensive but for what you get in that intimate of surrounding…it’s worth it.
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Levon’s daughter??? What’s her name?
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Amy Helm
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You mean Amy Helm singing in the song? D’Oh I didn’t put the two together. Yes, it was her voice and the fiddle that made me choose this song out of a list of excellent choices.
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Yes that is his daughter. Very talented lady. After you asked I thought…hmmm did I think of the wrong daughter?
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I’m a little slow on the uptake at times. You know how you think of people in a bubble? I think of Levon as sitting on his seat and drumming and singing bubble.
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I’m always slow lol!
Yea he controlled the show in his own little bubble… I agree
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