With the death of Garth Hudson earlier this month, The Band no longer has any surviving members.
鈥淧eople like us play their music or it eventually just fades away,鈥 said Daniel Cervantes, guitarist and vocalist with Mrs. Henry, which presents Chest Fever: The Official Revival of the Band, Tuesday at The Dream Caf茅 in Penticton.
It's one of four stops in B.C. on their present tour and the only date in the Okanagan.
Mrs. Henry is a reference to a track which appears on Bob Dylan鈥檚 The Baseman Tapes from 1975 which featured members of The Band. Chest Fever is a song from the Band鈥檚 debut album Songs from the Big Pink and, next to The Weight, it has appeared on more live albums and compilations that any other song by The Band.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not a tribute band 鈥 no wigs or costumes. We鈥檙e a band playing The Band with three lead singers in the group, along with a fourth vocalist, with a knack for playing this music. We go in and give the best show we can to our abilities,鈥 Cervantes said in a phone interview from Boston. I generally lean towards singing the songs that Levon Helm sang, I have a rasp in my voice.鈥
Cervantes admits most fans of classic rock are familiar with The Band鈥檚 catalogue up until 1976鈥檚 The Last Waltz which was later made into a documentary by Martin Scorsese and featured a triple-album as its soundtrack. But, there are many great tracks following the departure of Robbie Robertson from The Band.
鈥淎 lot of people know The Last Waltz and the hits from the Robbie years, but a lot of people request Atlantic City, a post-Robbie tune. If you look on Spotify, it鈥檚 in the top five songs streamed by The Band,鈥 he said of the Bruce Springsteen cover from 1993鈥檚 Jericho album.
Mrs. Henry is based out of California. The Band was 80% Canadian with Helm being the only member not born in Canada. Cervantes said The Band鈥檚 music is highly regarded in Canada.
鈥淲e had a Canadian in our band for a minute 鈥 Doug Organ from Edmonton. In Canada, we love the way the music is received and Canadians have a lot of pride in the catalogue. But Levon Helm is beloved in the south and Little Rock, Arkansas where he鈥檚 from. He鈥檚 one of the most revered and cherished American musicians of all-time.鈥
Cervantes said his lone regret is not meeting Hudson when he had the chance.
鈥淭hat book has closed on that chapter, but I鈥檓 thankful for everything he鈥檇 done. He鈥檚 amazing, one of the greatest musicians of all-time,鈥 Cervantes said.
When presenting a five-hour recreation of The Last Waltz at Toronto鈥檚 Massey Hall, Cervantes spoke with Helm鈥檚 grandson and a former road manager of The Band. Both said Hudson would approve of what they鈥檙e doing.
Of The Band鈥檚 catalogue, Cervantes picks Stage Freight 鈥 their third release in 1970 鈥 as his all-time favourite.
Chest Fever with special guest Mrs. Henry plays at The Dream Café on Tuesday, Feb. 4 at 8 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. For tickets visit:
