Mention Richard Manuel and the average person would probably shrug their shoulders for the enigmatic member of The Band is hardly a household name.
The Aug. 16 edition of Greasy Tracks hopefully started to change that as we dedicated the program to the incredibly gifted, yet tragic figure that was Manuel.
Here’s the archive, while a playlist is here.
There’s an interview with author Stephen T. Lewis who discusses his recently published Richard Manuel: His Life and Music, from the Hawks and Bob Dylan to The Band (Schiffer Publishing).
Insight was also provided into the brilliant, yet complicated Manuel from former Band guitarist Jim Weider, ex-Band tour manager Jonathan Taplin and John Simon who produced the Band’s influential 1968 debut, Music from Big Pink and renowned self-titled follow-up — nicknamed The Brown Album — a year later.
Along with Rick Danko and Levon Helm, Manuel was of the three vocalists in the group and sang lead on some of their most memorable tracks, including: Tears of Rage, King Harvest (Has Surely Come),” “Whispering Pines,” “Chest Fever,” “The Shape I’m In” and a majestic cover of Bob Dylan’s “I Shall Be Released here.”
Coinciding with the recent publishing of the Manuel bio, the on-going Live From Upstate series continues Aug. 23 at the Orpheum Theater in Saugerties, N.Y., with I Shall Be Released: A Tribute to Richard Manuel.
Author Peter Aaron leads at panel discussion with Lewis along with Weider and veteran producer/engineer Rob Fraboni who worked with a veritable who’s who in the music world, including numerous Band projects. The event starts at 4 p.m.
In addition to the discussion, there will be rare film clips of Manuel as well as a performance of classic Manuel-related tracks by Weider and keyboardist Matt Zeiner who is plays with Weider in The Weight Band.