WASHINGTON – The wonderful thing about music is that it can never die. Its creators and fans might whither and age, but then a new generation picks up an old recording and names what came before it classic.
When The Band’s Levon Helm died in April at the age of 71, it gave fans a perfect excuse to go back and rediscover what made him a fixture in rock n’ roll.
Now, one of his last recordings has found its way online. Helm plays drums on a star-studded Amnesty International benefit song called “Toast for Freedom,” recorded at Helm’s Woodstock, N.Y. studio. It also features Kris Kristofferson, Marianne Faithfull, Carly Simon, the Blind Boys Of Alabama, Roseanne Cash, Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen, The Animals’ Eric Burdon and actor Ewan McGregor.
Watch the video for it below.
Follow WTOP on Twitter.
(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)