Levon Helm in 'final stages' of cancer battle

News
By published

The Band drummer/vocalist's family make statement

© Tim Mosenfelder/Corbis

Levon Helm's family have announced that the drummer is in the final stages of his battle with cancer.

A statement made by Helm's daughter and wife explained: "Levon is in the final stages of his battle with cancer. Please send your prayers and love to him as he makes his way through this part of his journey."



Since then thousands of fans have flocked to the The Band man's Facebook page to leave comments and tributes. You can do the same by heading here.

Categories
Rich Chamberlain
Rich Chamberlain

Rich is a teacher, one time Rhythm staff writer and experienced freelance journalist who has interviewed countless revered musicians, engineers, producers and stars for the our world-leading music making portfolio, including such titles as Rhythm, Total Guitar, Guitarist, Guitar World, and MusicRadar. His victims include such luminaries as Ice T, Mark Guilani and Jamie Oliver (the drumming one).

More about drummers
Frank Ferrer on stage in 2012

“There’s nights where I think, ‘If we don’t get to Paradise City soon I’m going to pass out!’”: How drummer Frank Ferrer powered Guns N’ Roses for 19 years
Jack White of The Dead Weather performs, playing drums, on day seven of New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on May 2, 2010 in New Orleans, Louisiana

“I didn’t care about the guitar. I wanted to be a drummer my whole life. That was all I cared about”: Jack White tells Oxford Union he didn’t care about the guitar but needed to play it to achieve "validity"
Hans Zimmer

“He said, ‘Oh, stage fright? I had terrible stage fright.’": How Paul McCartney, Johnny Marr and Pharrell Williams cured Hans Zimmer’s performance nerves
See more latest
Most Popular
Hans Zimmer
“He said, ‘Oh, stage fright? I had terrible stage fright.’": How Paul McCartney, Johnny Marr and Pharrell Williams cured Hans Zimmer’s performance nerves
Djrum
“I'm always starting up sessions and not finishing them, but I don't see that as unproductive”: Virtuosic UK producer Djrum talks creativity and making Frekm Pt.2
Penn State's Audible Enclaves
RIP headphones? New tech can now beam music into your ears without the need for any hardware
Travis Barker in the studio
"If I wasn't recording albums every month, multiple albums, and I wasn't playing on everyone's songs, I wouldn't need any of this”: Travis Barker reveals his production tricks and gear in a new studio tour
YouTuber and guitar educator Mike G. plays a white HSS Jackson Superstrat in this still from his home studio.
“It’s not even the same song!”: A YouTuber asked AI to tab a bunch of classic tracks by Metallica, Guns N' Roses and Nirvana and got some really crazy results
Chappell Roan
“The solo is very recognisable and crucial to the song”: How Chappell Roan’s former touring guitarist handled the Pink Pony Club guitar solo live on stage
James Brown (1933-2006) performs live on stage with the J.B.'s, including bass guitarist Bootsy Collins on left and guitarist Catfish Collins (1943-2010) behind on right, in East Ham, London in March 1971
“James felt the fines would make you work harder. He was using that reverse psychology on us, and we didn’t understand at the time”: Bootsy Collins on why James Brown’s fines worked for his musicians
Eats Everything
“I was like - that's the album name right there": How a 6am WhatsApp from a rave icon provided the concept for Eats Everything’s genre-bending new album
Linkin Park
“Hybrid Theory came out and nu metal was everything. I bought the album and showed it to everybody at school": New Linkin Park singer Emily Armstrong says she was a fan of the band in high school
Neil Young on stage during Farm Aid 2024
“I could not in good conscience take my crew and instruments into that area”: Neil Young’s free Ukraine gig is off