Oscar-winning director Martin Scorsese will host an invite-only tribute event to his late friend, The Band’s Robbie Robertson, this Wednesday, November 15, at The Village Studios in Los Angeles, Relix reports.
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According to the website, the homage, titled Robbie Robertson: A Celebration of His Life and Music, will recognize the guitarist and songwriter’s contributions to music and popular culture. The event will feature performances by various artists, including Jackson Browne, Citizen Cope, Blake Mills Group, Rocco DeLuca, and ex-Wild Colonials singer Angela McCluskey.
[RELATED: Bob Dylan Pays Tribute to “Lifelong Friend” Robbie Robertson]
In addition to Scorsese and the performers, there will be an appearance from actress Lily Gladstone, one of the stars of the Scorsese-directed 2023 film Killers of the Flower Moon, for which Robertson wrote the soundtrack.
Killers of the Flower Moon was the final of many movie projects on which Scorsese and Robertson worked together. Their collaboration dates back to The Last Waltz, the 1978 concert film and documentary that focused on The Band’s famously star-studded 1976 farewell concert.
Other Scorsese films to which Robertson contributed his musical talents included Raging Bull (1980), The King of Comedy (1982), The Color of Money (1986), Gangs of New York (2002), Shutter Island (2010), The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), Silence (2016), and The Irishman (2019).
Robertson died in August 2023 at the age of 80 of prostate cancer. Following his death, Scorsese issued a statement paying tribute to the legendary musician and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee.
“Robbie Robertson was one of my closest friends, a constant in my life and my work,” Scorsese said. “I could always go to him as a confidante. A collaborator. An advisor. I tried to be the same for him. Long before we ever met, his music played a central role in my life—me and millions and millions of other people all over this world.”
The director added, “The Band’s music, and Robbie’s own later solo music, seemed to come from the deepest place at the heart of this continent, its traditions and tragedies and joys. It goes without saying that he was a giant, that his effect on the art form was profound and lasting.”
Robertson had recorded at The Village Studios many times over the years, including working on the Killers of the Flower Moon soundtrack there, and the facility also paid homage to him after his passing with a note on its Instagram page.
“The Village Studios mourns the loss of a dear friend and remarkable musician, Robbie Robertson. A maestro whose music wove tales of magic, emotion, and passion,” the note reads. “A resident of The Village since the 70s. His music lingers in these walls, we remember a true artist and cherish the moments his music gave us.”
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
