The Midnight Ramble Sessions, Vol. 3

As Levon Helm fought against his declining health, he figured it'd be best if other musicians and his fans came to see him. Saturday nights at Helm’s barn in Woodstock, N.Y., was the place to be—and with state-of-the-art recording equipment capturing the festivities, Helm had a difficult task deciding which tracks would be the highlights on these Midnight Ramble Sessions. Yet, this third volume is a powerful testament of Helm’s determined spirit. Singing less but still with great compassion and heart after his battle with throat cancer, Helm sails through “The Same Thing,” “Drivin’ Wheel,” “One More Shot,” and Al Green’s “Take Me to the River.” His daughter Amy Helm demonstrates the power of genetics with her take on “Ain’t That Good News.” Another Helm Band member, Jimmy Vivino, handles Blind Willie Johnson’s “God Don’t Never Change” with the band’s full female backing choir providing the response to his call. Brian Mitchell gives Bob Dylan’s “Simple Twist of Fate” a shot of New Orleans, while N.O.’s legend Allen Toussaint revisits the classic “A Certain Girl.” The swinging rhythms, the players’ generosity, and Helm’s perfect backbeat provided everyone with a place to go on the weekend where legends met regularly.