Zac Brown Band Pays Tribute to Robbie Robertson with Cover of “The Weight”

In the days following the death of The Band’s Robbie Robertson, a number of tributes have been pouring in. The latest comes from Zac Brown Band. At a recent concert at the Saratoga Springs Performing Arts Center in New York, the band covered the seminal classic “The Weight” in honor of the late-great frontman.

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In an official video posted to Zac Brown Band’s YouTube page, the group’s members are joined by guitar slinger Marcus King and country outfit King Calaway for a rousing rendition of the 1974 hit.

I pulled into Nazareth / Was feeling ’bout half past dead / I just need someplace / Where I can lay my head / “Hey, mister, can you tell me / Where a man might find a bed, Brown sings in the live clip.

Robertson died on August 9. “Robbie was surrounded by his family at the time of his death, including his wife, Janet, his ex-wife, Dominique, her partner Nicholas, and his children Alexandra, Sebastian, Delphine, and Delphine’s partner Kenny,” Robertson’s longtime manager Jared Levine said in a statement.

“He is also survived by his grandchildren Angelica, Donovan, Dominic, Gabriel and Seraphina,” the statement continued. “Robertson recently completed his fourteenth film music project with frequent collaborator Martin Scorsese, ‘Killers of the Flower Moon.’ In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made to the Six Nations of the Grand River to support a new Woodland Cultural Center.”

Robertson penned “The Weight” in 1968 and it became one of The Band’s name-making hits. It has been covered countless times. Brown has made it a staple in his live shows for years now. Uncover the full meaning behind “The Weight” HERE.

Watch Zac Brown Band and Co. join forces in the chorus for a swell of rich vocals and harmonies on “The Weight” below.

(Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)

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