WOODSTOCK, NY (CelebrityAccess) — Eric Garth Hudson CM, the Canadian multi-instrumentalist and last surviving member of the Canadian rock group The Band, has passed away at the age of 87.
According to the New York Times, Hudson died on Tuesday at a nursing home in Woodstock, New York. His passing was confirmed by Jan Haust, a close friend and colleague.
A native of Windsor, Ontario, Hudson began playing piano at a young age and developed into a skilled keyboardist, renowned for his mastery of the Lowrey Organ, piano, and saxophone.
At the age of 19, Hudson joined the London, Ontario-based band the Silhouettes, later moving with the group to the Detroit area to pursue more performance opportunities.
In 1961, he was invited by Ronnie Hawkins and Levon Helm to join The Hawks. Initially hesitant, he eventually joined the group, which would later evolve into the influential Canadian-American rock band The Band, four years later.
Hudson remained with The Band until their initial dissolution in 1976, contributing his distinctive musicality to iconic recordings such as “Up on Cripple Creek,” “Don’t Do It,” and “The Weight.”
During The Band’s reunion in the early 1980s, Hudson rejoined, participating in albums such as High On The Hog, Jericho, and Jubilation.
In the 2000s, he pursued a solo career and collaborated with artists such as Sneaky Pete Kleinow (Burrito Brothers), Carlton Moody (Moody Blues), and bassist Jeff “Stick” Davis of the Amazing Rhythm Aces, forming the band Burrito Deluxe, which released two albums before disbanding due to Kleinow’s health issues.
Hudson also formed a 12-piece band, the Best!, with his wife Maud on vocals. The group recorded one live album, Live at the Wolf, capturing a performance at the Wolf Performance Hall in Ontario in 2005.
In addition to his solo work and band endeavors, Hudson was highly sought after as a session musician, contributing to recordings by Neko Case, John Hiatt, North Mississippi All-Stars, The Sadies, and Ronnie Hawkins, among others.
His final live performance was in 2023, where he played Duke Ellington’s “Sophisticated Lady” in Kingston, New York.
Hudson was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Band in 1994, joined Canada’s Walk of Fame in 2014, and was appointed a member of the Order of Canada in 2023.
