ROBERTSON'S JAMS
Fifteen Robbie landmarks - as tunesmith, guitarist, lyricist and, occasionally, even singer.
Who Do You Love?
(Roulette single, 1963)
Robertson was three years into his lead guitar tenure with Ronnie Hawkins – and still just 19 – when he ran riot across this Bo Diddley cover, spearing The Hawks’ frantic gallop with thrilling precision-slalom runs and stiletto-treble sustain. And this was nearly a twoguitar shootout: Roy Buchanan, who played with Ronnie’s cousin Dale, was on the session – alas, on bass.
DF
The Stones I Throw (Will Free All Men)
(ATCO single, 1965)
Recorded as Levon And The Hawks, this spiritual Robertson melody and Civil Rights-boostering lyric create a bridge between The Hawks’ Ronnie Hawkins days and The Band, already digging backwards to re-imagine the Great American Songbook. Even the thrown away B-side, He Don’t Love You (And He’ll Break Your Heart) is a minor Northern soul classic. Recorded as Levon And The Hawks, this spiritual Robertson melody and Civil Rights-boostering lyric create a bridge between The Hawks’ Ronnie Hawkins days and The Band, already digging backwards to re-imagine the Great American Songbook. Even the thrown away B-side, He Don’t Love You (And He’ll Break Your Heart) is a minor Northern soul classic.