''This Wheel's on Fire: Levon Helm and the Story of the Band'' is the 1993 autobiography of actor and musician Levon Helm, focusing on his career as a member of the rock group the Band. The book, written with music journalist Stephen Davis, traces Helm's life from his childhood in the deep south through his years as a drummer and singer for the Band, to his struggle to establish a professional identity in the wake of the group's official end in 1976. The book is notable for providing readers with an inside look at the evolution of a

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group, as well as for placing the blame for the Band's break-up on the shoulders of guitarist Robbie Robertson. Among the accusations Helm makes against Robertson is conspiring with record companies to steal song-writing credits from other members of the Band, arranging the group's break-up as a part of a private agenda, and conspiring with ''

The Last Waltz ''The Last Waltz'' was a concert by the Canadian-American rock group The Band, held on American Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1976, at Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. ''The Last Waltz'' was advertised as The Band's "farewell concert a ...

'' director

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(a personal friend of Robertson) to make Robertson appear to be the leader and most important member of the group. Helm's bitterness toward Robertson is balanced by his effusive praise of other musicians, especially other members of the Band, even pausing to admire Robertson's stage presence and talent as a guitarist.

References

1993 non-fiction books Books about rock music Books by Levon Helm Music autobiographies The Band William Morrow and Company books {{music-bio-book-stub