Garth Hudson, the final surviving founding member of The Band, dies aged 87

nme.com:

The Band, has died at the age of 87.The Canadian virtuoso multi-instrumentalist who was best known for his distinctive organ and saxophone work passed away today (January 21) at the Ten Broeck Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing in upstate New York.According to the executor of his estate (as per The Guardian), Hudson died peacefully in his sleep in the nursing home where he was living.

No cause of death has been shared. In a statement shared to Rolling Stone by Jan Haust, the musician’s longtime friend and colleague, he confirmed the death and also shared that Hudson had “died peacefully”, adding that “yesterday was a day of music and hand-holding.”A post shared by The Band (@the_band_official_)Born in Windsor, Ontario, on August 3 1937 to two musicians – his mother was a pianist and his father played various wind instruments but worked as a farm inspector and entomologist – Hudson would go on to join The Hawks, the backing band for Ronnie Hawkins.

In 1963, The Hawks would eventually split from Hawkins and go on to become The Band.The Band – comprised of Hudson, Richard Manuel, Robbie Robertson and Levon Helm – were hired by Bob Dylan to be his backing band during his controversial 1966 “electric” tour of the United States, Australia and Europe.

The Band would go on to move into a pink house located in West Saugerties, New York, near Woodstock where Dylan would frequently visit and where Dylan and the Band would eventually record his 16th LP ‘The Basement Tapes’.The group went on to record seven albums between 1968 and 1977, with their 1969 self-titled LP and 1970’s ‘Stage Fright’ landing spots in the US Top 10.