It's hard to believe it's been almost a year since the world lost the great Robbie Robertson, who died after a long illness last August. The singer-songwriter, film composer and guitarist in the Band will be honoured by many of his peers, friends and admirers at a star-studded tribute concert, dubbed "Life Is a Carnival: A Musical Celebration of Robbie Robertson," at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, CA, on October 17.
Serving as one of the event's executive producers is Robertson's longtime friend and frequent collaborator Martin Scorsese, who presumably helped put together the long list of artists set to pay tribute — including the venerable Mavis Staples, and anti-vaxx bosom buddies Eric Clapton and Van Morrison, who all appeared in the director's the Band documentary, The Last Waltz.
Robertson's '60s contemporaries Taj Mahal and Bob Weir are also on deck, as well as fellow legends like Elvis Costello, Lucinda Williams, Bruce Hornsby, Warren Haynes, Daniel Lanois, Don Was, Trey Anastasio, Jim James, and the Heartbreakers' Mike Campbell and Belmont Tench.
Breakout stars of the last decade or so who have been influenced by Robertson and the Band — Allison Russell, Noah Kahan, Nathaniel Rateliff, Margo Price, Eric Church, Ryan Bingham, Robert Randolph and Jamey Johnson among them — are likewise set to perform. Tickets go on sale this Friday (August 2) at 10 a.m. PT.