Richard Manuel

about

Richard Manuel (April 3, 1943 - March 4, 1986) was a Canadian pianist, keyboardist, drummer, singer and songwriter best known for his membership in The Band. Manuel was born in Stratford, Ontario, Canada. As a teenager, he developed a rhythmic style of piano unique in its usage of inverted chord structures and was a naturally talented vocalist, with a timbre often compared to that of Ray Charles. These talents were showcased in his band, The Rockin' Revols. In the summer of 1961, at the age of eighteen, he joined Ronnie Hawkins' backing group, The Hawks, which already consisted of 21-year-old Levon Helm on drums, 17-year-old Robbie Robertson on guitar and 18-year-old Rick Danko on 6-string bass (Garth Hudson, aged 24, joined that Christmas). After two years, Manuel departed the Hawks along with Helm, Robertson, Danko, Hudson and saxophonist Jerry Penfound (occasionally joined by singer Bruce Bruno), initially as the Levon Helm Sextet (as Helm had accumulated the most time with Hawkins), later changed to the Canadian Squires, and then to Levon and the Hawks. With Helm serving as nominal leader due to his longevity with the Hawkins group, it was in fact Manuel (easily the most accomplished vocalist from a technical standpoint) who led the group on stage, singing most of the songs in the group's repertoire and serving as de facto frontman. It was as Levon and the Hawks, after the departure of Penfound and Bruno, that they came to the attention of Sonny Boy Williamson (with who

top songs

albums

Whispering Pines

Whispering Pines: Live at the Getaway 1985

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Whispering Pines (Live at the Getaway)

Live At O'Tooles Tavern

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A Musical History [Disc 1]

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Across The Great Divide [Disc 3]

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Whispering Pines / Live at the Getaway Saugerties, NY.

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Whispering Pines: Live at the Gateway 1985

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Across The Great Divide

Whispering Pines: Live at the Getaway

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The Soul Of The Band

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Live In Woodstock NY

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