Levon Helm quotes

Levon Helm was an American musician and actor, best known as the drummer and one of the vocalists for The Band. His soulful voice and distinctive drumming style played a significant role in shaping the group's sound. He was celebrated for his influence on American roots music and for his vibrant live performances. Here are 43 of his quotes:

I was in high school, trying to get out of high school. The only thing slowing me up was grades. (Levon Helm)
Good times don't last long sometimes. View quote
Levon Helm
If you pour some music on whatever's wrong, it'll sure help out. View quote
Levon Helm
If you give it good concentration, good energy, good heart and good performance, the song will play you. View quote
Levon Helm
The crowd is just as important as the group. It takes everything to make it work. View quote
Levon Helm
We're all dealt with the same hand here, so to speak. I feel like I've had it a lot better than most people. I've had the opportunity to travel and play music all my life. View quote
Levon Helm
Conway Twitty was always our local hero while I was growing up. He had a series of good bands. I wanted to sit in, if Conway would let me. And he did a couple of times. View quote
Levon Helm
With horns and a full rhythm section, the drums always looked like the best seat in the house. View quote
Levon Helm
Anytime I switch to another instrument, I immediately turn it into another kind of drum so that I can understand it better. View quote
Levon Helm
Drums usually seem to tune themselves. View quote
Levon Helm
We all love musical architecture; there's no doubt about that. (Levon Helm)
A friend of mine took me to Memphis advised me that I should get in the musicians' union. He gave me a set of drums and said, Stay on the job, son. View quote
Levon Helm
I don't fool with a lot of things that I can't have fun with. There's not much reward in that. View quote
Levon Helm
My dad and I played music. He teaches me a song or two every time I'm home. View quote
Levon Helm
If it doesn't come from your heart, music just doesn't work. View quote
Levon Helm
The Band never really played big concert tours. We never sold millions and millions of albums. View quote
Levon Helm
The rock star stuff never came up for us. The Band was never attacked by groupies before, during or after any show that we ever played. View quote
Levon Helm
Dad and mom would have preferred that I be a doctor, a lawyer, a scientist, or a great humanitarian. View quote
Levon Helm
Drums just always sounded like the most fun part of that good music for me. View quote
Levon Helm
I love horns, and the bigger the band, the better it sounds to my ear. View quote
Levon Helm
You can either make it come around or you can't. By the time we would be ready to record a song, we would know for sure that it was the best way we could do it. (Levon Helm)
Most of our stuff was trial and error. You live with a tape recorder, you turn it on, you play the song and you listen to it. View quote
Levon Helm
Forever Young, by Dylan, is one of my favorite songs. View quote
Levon Helm
I like to get within handshaking distance of the crowd. If it happens, they know it, we know it, and that's all we came here for. View quote
Levon Helm
I like walking on the edge. View quote
Levon Helm

Levon Helm

Levon Helm - Image
Photo: Photo by Jaime Martorano, CC BY-SA 3.0
Occupation: American Musician
Born: May 26, 1940
Died: April 19, 2012
Quotes count: 43