Elton John Leads Levon Helm Tribute at 2013 Grammy Awards
Elton John led an all-star performance of the Band's classic anthem 'The Weight' in tribute to Levon Helm during the 2013 Grammy Awards telecast tonight (Feb. 10).
Helm, the Band's drummer, died in April 2012 after a long battle with cancer. John was joined for this performance by members of Alabama Shakes and Mumford & Sons, as well as legendary singer Mavis Staples. 'The Weight,' a 1968 single also featured on the band's 'Music from Big Pink' album, was one of the Band's most famous songs, and quite a logical choice for a tribute to Helm.
The performance came after the show's annual montage of musicians who passed away the previous year, and John took the opportunity to send his thoughts out to the victims of the recent Sandy Hook massacre: "As we commemorate the passing of these great men and women, we remember the teachers and students of Sandy Hook whose songs unfortunately ended too soon."