Hudson Valley music journalist John W. Barry is thrilled to announce the publication of his new book, Levon Helm: Rock, Roll & Ramble—The Inside Story of the Man, the Music and the Midnight Ramble.
The book that began as a collaboration between Levon and John outlines the launch, evolution and triumph of the Midnight Ramble house concerts held by the former member of The Band and three-time Grammy winner as a solo artist. Rock, Roll & Ramble is based on and inspired by exclusive interviews that John conducted with Levon, after being invited by the legendary musician to chronicle the achievements and travails that were capping his life.
As the Midnight Ramble gained momentum, no other journalist spent more time with Levon than John. John during road trips, in Levon’s kitchen after Rambles and during breaks in recording sessions at Levon Helm Studios captured the essence of Levon’s Midnight Ramble story. Those discussions with Levon were captured on many hours of recordings, and those recordings make up the spine of this book, which can be purchased on Amazon.com.
At the heart of this story is Levon’s resiliency. As he recovered from cancer and clawed his way out of bankruptcy, Levon’s Midnight Rambles triggered one of the greatest comebacks in rock and roll. And while there is plenty about the power of music in Rock, Roll & Ramble, this is truly a tale of a comeback kid, an underdog who proved the critics wrong as he rocked, rolled—and rambled.
"John Barry was the perfect 'fly on the wall' during this great last chapter and final curtain call in Levon Helm's life," said Larry Campbell, the Grammy-winning Producer, Musical Director, Multi-Instrumentalist and Vocalist for the Levon Helm Band. "He was the quintessential observer from the early days of the Midnight Ramble to the end and has brilliantly captured the details and the spirit of that wonderful time in this book."
Speaking of Rock, Roll & Ramble, Levon's life-long friend from Arkansas, Anna Lee Amsden—"Anna Lee" from The Band song, "The Weight"—said, "Reading this book is like being there, at the Ramble. It’s like Levon’s talking to you.”
A journalist for three decades, John W. Barry was a staff writer with the USA Today Network for 25 years, and spent nearly two decades as music writer for the Poughkeepsie Journal in Levon's hometown Hudson Valley of New York. John’s writing has also appeared in USA Today, on RollingStone.com and the Times Union: Hudson Valley website; and in the Village Voice and Berkshire Eagle.
