Hudson, last surviving member of The Band, dies at 87

Garth Hudson, the last surviving member of the legendary group The Band, died today. He was 87.

Eric “Garth” Hudson was born on Aug. 2, 1937, in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. He was classically trained in piano, wrote his first song at 11 and first played professionally with dance bands at the age of 12.

Though he had few composer credits with The Band, the mercurial but renowned multi-instrumentalist was pivotal in shaping the band’s distinctive sound, which cannot be overstated. He helped shape them into the musical powerhouse they were and contributed keyboards and horns, bringing songs like “Chest Fever” and “The Weight” to life, earning him the nickname “Honey Boy” for his ability to make the songs sound even sweeter.

Today, we sadly say goodbye to Garth "Honey Boy" Hudson, the last living original member of The Band. A musical genius and cornerstone of the group’s timeless sound, Garth once said, “I found some true enjoyment in helping people get to the bottom of their feelings.” Through his… pic.twitter.com/IdVidFbLOp

— The Band (@TheBandOfficial) January 21, 2025

Guitarist Robbie Robertson died in August 2023, and multi-instrumentalist Levon Helm died in April 2022. Bassist and vocalist Rick Danko died in December 1999, and keyboardist, drummer and singer Richard Manuel died in March 1986.

In a 1984 interview published in The Woodstock Times in March 1985, Hudson recalled the first time he met the other members of The Band, who began playing with rockabilly legend Ronnie Hawkins in the 1960s.

“I thought they were all stars,” Hudson recalled. “They were all very good. You know it was through Ronnie Hawkins that we met, and he was a legendary character. Even when I worked back in Detroit, Ronnie was acclaimed as being the greatest rockabilly performer with the best band. Nobody could follow him, including Elvis, as far as an organic unit that could get up there and shake it up. He was great; he was funny; he did little things that were entirely entertaining and he continues to do so. He’s still doing amazing things.”

In 1965 and 1966, the group had its big break, backing Bob Dylan after he went electric. Helm left the group, which went on to tour Europe during the legendary 1996 tour, which was immortalized in a 2016 box set.

Hudson released several solo albums, including Live at the Wolf in 2005 and The Sea to the North in 2001.