A critically acclaimed roots rock group, the Band originally consisted of Rick Danko on bass, guitar, fiddle, trombone and vocals, as well as; Garth Hudson on keyboard, sax, and trumpet; Richard Manuel on piano, drums, baritone sax, and vocals; Robbie Robertson on guitars and vocals; and Levon Helm on drums, mandolin, guitar, and vocals.

The Band first came together after joining Ronnie Hawkins' backing group, known as the Hawks, individually between the years 1958 and 1963. After the group left Hawkins in the year 1964, the had a brief stint known as the Levon Helm Sextet. Helm and Robertson were hired by Bob Dylan for two concert performances, and afterward the group was hired for his US tour in the year 1965 and then his world tour in the year 1966.

The Band recorded two of the most critically acclaimed albums of the 1960s, their 1968 debut album "Music from Big Pink" ("Whcih featured the single "The Weight") and "The Band" in 1969. They disbanded in 1976, only reform in th eyear 1983, without Robertson, however. They recorded a live concert at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre that year, with the assistance of four other musicians.

In 1989 the Band was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, and in the year 1994 the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Rolling Stone gave them the number 50 spot on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. They received the Grammy's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008.

During the course of their career, the Band released the albums "Stage Fright", "Cahoots", "Moondog Matinee", "Northern Lights - Southern Cross", "Islands" and "High On The Hog". They released singles such as "Up on Cripple Creek", "Time to Kill", "The Shape I'm In" and "Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I'll Go Mine)".

Trivia:

The Band released a total of ten studio albums, two live albums, seven compilations, two soundtracks, and 31 singles.