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Born Mark Lavon Helm in Elaine Arkansas to
Diamond and Nell Helm https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2021/jan/25/levon-helm-grew-up-in-arkansas-before-finding/?latest -
Battle and evacuation of British Soldiers mainly using civilian ships.
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Levon would watch the Cotton trains roll by. They were in production 24 hours a day due to the War. One of his earliest memories.
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Allied forces invade Italy. The cotton from Arkansas in use for soldiers uniforms.
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End of World War 2.
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Bill Monroe came to town with his blue grass boys (Featuring Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs). This was the first time Levon decided to become a musician.
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Levon would hitch a ride from a farmer to go into Helena to watch Sonny Boy Williams do his radio show.
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Ho Chi Minh begins offensive against French troops in Indo China. Years later Levon would watch the daily news about the Viet Nam war.
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"That's All Right Mama" launches Elvis' career. https://www.sunrecords.com/artists/elvis-presley
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Levon won 4H and other talent shows with his sister Linda.
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Levon joins Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks in Marvell. They agree to wait until Levon graduated high school before heading to Canada.
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A young kid starts hanging out doing odd jobs for the Hawks. Robbie Robertson. He and Levon become close friends.
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Rick Danko joins the Hawks as another Canadian replacement for another Arkansas player leaving.
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Garth Hudson finally makes what would become THE BAND
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John F Kennedy begins his term as President. https://www.whitehousehistory.org/the-life-and-presidency-of-john-f-kennedy
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President Kennedy was killed while touring downtown Dallas, TX.https://www.whitehousehistory.org/the-life-and-presidency-of-john-f-kennedy
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They leave Ronnie and form their own band with Levon as leader.
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Dylan enlists Levon and the Hawks as his backup band when he went electric in 1965 at the Forrest Hills Tennis Stadium in NY. Levon soon leaves after being booed constantly and goes to work on an oil rig.
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1967 Woodstock and the Big Pink
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Music from the Big Pink showcases Levon's southern style of singing with "The Weight" as its biggest hit.
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Simon and Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson" hits #1 from the hit movie "The Graduate". More folksy music became popular along with bands such as the Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers.
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Woodstock Music Festival
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Woodstock. The Band plays 11 songs on the final day of the festival. "The Weight" which is a song Levon is famous for was one of the last songs they played.
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The band plays its last gig at the Winter Land Ballroom in San Francisco with all members on Thanksgiving 1976. The rest of The Band would eventually tour again minus Robbie.
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Failed assassination attempt on Iraqi vice-premier Tariq Aziz.
https://www.onthisday.com/events/date/1980/april -
Levon embarks on an acting career playing Loretta Lynns father in "Coal Miners Daughter"
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Levon joins Ringo first variation of his "All Star Band" The first show was in Dallas Rick Danko joined in.
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Levon is inducted along with his other bandmates into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame. They are inducted by Eric Clapton. Levon does not show due to his feud with Robbie. https://youtu.be/KpBQw_COaQc
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After playing The King Biscuit Blues Festival in 1996, Levon couldn't get over his hoarseness. He was diagnosed with throat cancer.
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Levon wins the Grammy for "Dirt Farmer" for best traditional folk album
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President Obama first elected as the first African American to become President.
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Levon died in NY just shy of his 72nd birthday
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Obama re-elected President
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Barack-Obama/The-2012-election
