Levon Helm Back Home

[Bart Elliott]

Last Saturday (December 11th), 70-year-old drummer, http://www.levonhelm.com]Levon Helm , came down with a cold that was exacerbated by a condition he has called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was released from the hospital on Thursday (December 16th).

Helm was unable to perform at his Midnight Ramble house concert last Saturday, but hopes to return to the stage this weekend. Levon's long-time friend, Steve Jordan, will be sharing the drumming duties with Helm tonight.

Moments before last Saturday's Midnight Ramble, Helm's manager, Barbara O'Brien, told the sold-out crowd at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock that Levon had been hospitalized. The show went on, with Levon Helm Studios Chief Engineer Justin Guip filling in on drums. Guip often sits in on a few tunes at each Ramble, the Saturday night shows Helm holds at his home studio several times a month.

FYI ... Levon Helm is a throat cancer survivor ... and as many of us know, had a huge comeback several years ago, fueled by his Midnight Ramble house concerts. Helm's recent hospitalization had nothing to do with his past battle with throat cancer.