Editing Robbie Robertson (section)

====1976–1978: ''The Last Waltz'' ====
The Band began touring again in June 1976, performing throughout the summer.<ref name=band_concerts/> The members of the Band were splintering off to work on other projects, with [[Levon Helm]] building a studio in Woodstock and Rick Danko having been contracted to [[Arista Records]] as a solo artist.<ref name="rs_last_waltz_1976">{{cite magazine|last1=Snyder|first1=Patrick|date=December 16, 1976|title=The Band: Drifting Toward the Last Waltz|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/the-last-waltz-19780601|magazine=Rolling Stone|publisher=Wenner Media LLC|publication-date=December 16, 1976|issue=228|access-date=June 22, 2016}}</ref> While on the summer tour, member Richard Manuel severely injured his neck in a boating accident, so ten dates were cancelled.<ref name=whispering_pines/>{{rp|300–01}}<ref name=band_bio/>{{rp|324–5}} During this time, Robertson suggested the Band cease to tour. He said they agreed on a "grand finale" show, part ways to work on their various projects, then regroup.<ref name=band_box_2005/>{{rp|82}}<ref name="nyt_11-27-76">{{cite news|author=Ledbetter, Les|title=The Band Ends Era With 'Last Waltz'|newspaper=The New York Times|date=27 November 1976|page=18}}</ref><ref name="geo_stroum_intv_2011_1">{{cite interview|last=Robertson|first=Robbie|subject-link=Robbie Robertson|interviewer=[[George Stroumboulopoulos]]|title=Robbie Robertson On the Break-Up of The Band|url=http://www.cbc.ca/strombo/videos/robbie-robertson-on-the-break-up-of-the-band|work=George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight|publisher=CBC|location=Toronto|date=March 31, 2011|access-date=June 12, 2016}}</ref> Helm later made the case in his autobiography, ''This Wheel's on Fire'', that Robertson had forced the Band's breakup on the rest of the group.<ref>Levon Helm and Stephen Davis. ''This Wheel's on Fire: Levon Helm and the Story of the Band'', Chapter Nine: ''The Last Waltz''</ref>

Concert promoter [[Bill Graham (promoter)|Bill Graham]] booked the Band at the [[Winterland Ballroom]] on [[Thanksgiving (United States)|American Thanksgiving]], November 25, 1976. ''The Last Waltz'' was a gala event, with ticket prices of $25 per person. It included a Thanksgiving dinner served to the audience, and featured the Band performing with various musical guests.<ref name=rs_last_waltz_1976/> The onstage guest list included [[Ronnie Hawkins]], [[Muddy Waters]], [[Paul Butterfield]], [[Dr. John]], [[Bob Dylan]], [[Eric Clapton]], [[Van Morrison]], [[Neil Diamond]], [[Joni Mitchell]], [[Neil Young]], [[Emmylou Harris]], and others.<ref name="sf_gate">{{cite web|last1=Selvin|first1=Joe|title=The day the music lived/Rereleased 'Last Waltz' documents amazing night in 1976 when rock's royalty bid farewell to the Band|url=http://www.sfgate.com/movies/article/The-day-the-music-lived-Rereleased-Last-Waltz-2857293.php|website=SFGate.com|publisher=Hearst Communications Inc.|access-date=June 12, 2016|location=San Francisco|date=April 4, 2002}}</ref>
[[File:The Last Waltz.jpg|right|thumb|The Band with musical guests performing "I Shall Be Released" at ''The Last Waltz'' concert on November 25, 1976]]
Robertson wanted to document the event on film, and approached director [[Martin Scorsese]] to see if he was interested in shooting the concert.<ref name="rs_last_waltz_1978">{{cite magazine|last1=Hodenfield|first1=Chris|date=June 1, 1978|title=The Last Waltz: A Concert Becomes a Legend|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/the-last-waltz-19780601|magazine=Rolling Stone|publisher=Wenner Media LLC|publication-date=June 1, 1978|issue=266|access-date=June 22, 2016}}</ref><ref name="cbc_intv_1978">{{cite interview|last=Robertson|first=Robbie|subject-link=Robbie Robertson|last2=Scorsese|first2=Martin|subject-link2=Martin Scorsese|title=Robbie Robertson, Martin Scorsese and The Last Waltz|url=http://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2165969688|work=90 Minutes Live|publisher=CBC|location=Toronto|date=April 14, 1978|access-date=June 12, 2016}}</ref><ref name="scorsese_on_scorsese">{{cite book|editor1-last=Christie|editor1-first=Ian|editor2-last=Thompson|editor2-first=David|title=Scorsese on Scorsese|date=2003|publisher=Faber and Faber Ltd.|location=London|isbn=9780571220021|edition=Revised|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iZvyBBGAzHgC|access-date=June 13, 2016}}</ref>{{rp|73–74}} They developed a 200-page script for the show, listing out in columns the lyrics of the songs, who was singing what part, and what instruments were being featured. It included columns for the camera and lighting work.<ref name=cbc_intv_1978/>

Scorsese brought in all-star cameramen such as [[Michael Chapman (cinematographer)|Michael Chapman]], [[László Kovács (cinematographer)|László Kovács]], and [[Vilmos Zsigmond]] to film the show in 35mm.<ref name=rs_last_waltz_1978/><ref name=cbc_intv_1978/> [[John Simon (record producer)|John Simon]], producer on the Band's first two albums, was brought in to coordinate rehearsals and work as musical director.<ref name="something_else_john_simen">{{cite web|last1=DeRiso|first1=Nick|title=Something Else! Interview: John Simon on the Band, fixing The Last Waltz and taking credit|url=http://somethingelsereviews.com/2014/01/29/something-else-interview-the-band-producer-john-simon/|website=Something Else!|access-date=June 12, 2016|date=January 29, 2014}}</ref> [[Boris Leven]] was brought in as art director. Jonathan Taplin assumed the role of executive producer, and Robertson worked as producer of the film.<ref name=band_bio/>{{rp|336}} Rehearsals for ''The Last Waltz'' concert began in early November. [[Warner Bros. Records]] president [[Mo Ostin]] offered to fund its filming in exchange for the right to release its music on an album. The Band were contractually obligated to supply Capitol Records with one more album before they could be released to work with Warner Bros. So in between rehearsing, they worked on the studio album ''[[Islands (The Band album)|Islands]]'' for Capitol. Robertson wrote or co-wrote eight of the ten tracks. One of the songs, "Knockin' Lost John", features Robertson on vocals, and was the first Band song Robertson had sung on since "To Kingdom Come" from ''Music From Big Pink''. "[[Christmas Must Be Tonight]]" was inspired by the birth of Robertson's son, [[Sebastian Robertson|Sebastian]], in July 1974.<ref name=band_bio/>{{rp|336–8}}<ref name=band_box_2005/>{{rp|82}}

Approximately 5,000 people attended the concert.<ref name="time_12-6-76">{{cite magazine|author=Staff|title=The Last Set|magazine=Time|publisher=Time Inc.|date=December 6, 1976|volume=108|issue=23|pages=46–47}}</ref> The event began at 5&nbsp;pm, beginning with the audience members being served a full traditional Thanksgiving meal at candlelit tables, with a vegetarian table serving an alternate menu as an option. The Berkeley Promenade Orchestra played waltz music for dancing afterward. The tables were cleared and moved at 8&nbsp;pm. At 9&nbsp;pm, the Band played songs for an hour, beginning with "Up On Cripple Creek". Just after 10&nbsp;pm, Robertson introduced [[Ronnie Hawkins]], the first onstage guest, with a succession of guest stars appearing with the group until just after midnight.

The group took a 30-minute break, during which several [[San Francisco Bay Area|Bay Area]] poets, including [[Lawrence Ferlinghetti]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-last-waltz-2002|title=The Last Waltz movie review & film summary (2002) |first=Roger|last=Ebert|website=rogerebert.com/|access-date=August 29, 2023}}</ref> [[Diane di Prima]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vogue.com/article/diane-di-prima-obit|title=Why You Should Know About Diane di Prima, the Beat Poet Decades Ahead of Her Time|date=October 27, 2020|website=Vogue|accessdate=August 29, 2023}}</ref> and [[Michael McClure]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-07-27-ca-304-story.html|title=This Poet and Musician Have Seen the Best and Verse of It|first=Bill|last=Kohlhaase|date=July 27, 1991|website=Los Angeles Times|accessdate=August 29, 2023}}</ref> performed readings of their poems. After the break, the Band returned to the stage, performing, among other songs, a new composition entitled "The Last Waltz Theme" that Robertson had just completed less than 48 hours prior. [[Bob Dylan]] was brought in at the end of this second set, performing several songs, and finally being joined with the other guest stars for a finale performance of "[[I Shall Be Released]]". This was then followed with two all-star jam sessions, after which the Band returned to the stage to close the show with one more song, their rendition of "[[Baby Don't You Do It]]".<ref name=band_bio/>{{rp|351}}<ref name=nyt_11-27-76/>

After ''[[The Last Waltz]]'' concert event was finished, director Martin Scorsese had 400 reels of raw footage to work with,<ref name=time_12-6-76/> and began editing the footage. The film was then sold to [[United Artists]]. In the meantime, Robertson and Scorsese continued to brainstorm more ideas for the film. In April 1977, country singer Emmylou Harris and gospel vocal group [[the Staple Singers]] were filmed on a sound stage at MGM performing with the Band. Emmylou Harris performed on "Evangeline", a new song written by Robertson, and the Staples Singers performed on a new recording of "The Weight", which they already recorded in 1968.<ref name=band_bio/>{{rp|352–53}}<ref name=band_box_2005/>{{rp|85–87}}<ref name=scorsese_on_scorsese/>{{rp|73–74}} Scorsese's next idea was to intersperse the concert footage with interviews of the Band that told their story. Scorsese conducted the interviews.{{citation needed|date=April 2017}} [[The Last Waltz (1978 album)|''The Last Waltz'' album]] was released by Warner Brothers Records on April 7, 1978, as a 3-LP set.<ref name="allmusic_last_waltz">{{cite web|title=The Band: The Last Waltz|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-last-waltz-mw0000198624|website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=June 23, 2016}}</ref> The first five sides feature live performances from the concert, and the last side contains studio recordings from the MGM sound stage sessions, including ''Out of the Blue'', which would be released as a single and which is the third and last Band song on which Robbie sings lead.<ref name="bowman_band_bio_9">{{cite web|last1=Bowman|first1=Rob|author-link1=Rob Bowman (music writer)|title=The History of The Band: 1975's Miracle and the Last Waltz|url=http://theband.hiof.no/history/part_9.html|website=The Band Website|publisher=Jan Hoiberg|access-date=June 23, 2016}}</ref> The album peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard charts, and remained in the Top 40 for 8 weeks.<ref name=billboard_book/>{{rp|26}}

''The Last Waltz'' was released to movie theatres on April 26, 1978.<ref name="nyt_4-26-78">{{cite news|author=Maslin, Janet|title=Film: Scorsese and the Band|newspaper=The New York Times|date=April 26, 1978|page=C15}}</ref> The film fared well with both rock and film critics. Robertson and Scorsese made appearances throughout America and Europe to promote the film.<ref name=band_bio/>{{rp|361}} Over time, ''The Last Waltz'' has become lauded by many as an important and pioneering [[rockumentary]]. Its influence has been felt on subsequent rock music films such as [[Talking Heads]]' ''[[Stop Making Sense]]'' (1984), and [[U2]]'s ''[[Rattle and Hum#Film|Rattle and Hum]]'' (1988).<ref name="film_quarterly">{{cite magazine|last=Severn|first=Stephen E.|title=Robbie Robertson's Big Break: A Reevaluation of Martin Scorsese's The Last Waltz|url=http://theband.hiof.no/articles/a_reevaluation_of_lw_severn.html|magazine=Film Quarterly|edition=Winter 2002/2003|location=Berkeley, California|publisher=University of California Press|volume=56|issue=2|pages=25–31|access-date=June 23, 2016}}</ref>

In his mixed review [[Roger Ebert]] wrote, "In ''The Last Waltz'', we have musicians who seem to have bad memories. Who are hanging on. Scorsese's direction is mostly limited to closeups and medium shots of performances; he ignores the audience. The movie was made at the end of a difficult period in his own life, and at a particularly hard time (the filming coincided with his work on ''[[New York, New York (1977 film)|New York, New York]]''). This is not a record of serene men, filled with nostalgia, happy to be among friends."<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-last-waltz-2002|title= The Last Waltz movie review|website= Rogerebert.com|accessdate= September 3, 2023}}</ref>