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Dirt Farmer | 
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| Artist: Levon Helm
Label: Vanguard Records
Category: Music
List Price: $16.98
Buy New: $12.47
You Save: $4.51 (27%)
New (50) Used (12) from $9.97
Rating:  93 reviews
Sales Rank: 244
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 4.9 x 0.4
MPN: 79844
UPC: 015707984423
EAN: 0015707984423
ASIN: B000VG7M0O
Release Date: October 30, 2007
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Tracks:
| • | False Hearted Lover Blues (Traditional) | | • | Poor Old Dirt Farmer (Traditional) | | • | The Mountain (Steve Earle) | | • | Little Birds (Traditional) | | • | The Girl I Left Behind (Traditional) | | • | Calvary (Byron Isaacs) | | • | Anna Lee (Laurelyn Dossett) | | • | Got Me A Woman (Paul Kennerley) | | • | A Train Robbery (Paul Kennerley) | | • | Single Girl, Married Girl (A. P. Carter) | | • | The Blind Child (Traditional) | | • | Feelin Good (J. B. Lenoir) | | • | Wide River To Cross (Buddy Miller, Julie Miller) |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Levon Helm's early solo albums, made in the 1970s after the Band initially broke up, were hit-and-miss affairs, but his first solo studio release in 25 years represents a rich return to his Southern roots. With co-production and musical support from daughter Amy (of Ollabelle) and multi-instrumentalist Larry Campbell (long a mainstay of Bob Dylan's band), Helm gives organic unity and rough-hewn vitality to a selection of Cajun fiddle waltzes, country blues, hardscrabble folk, and some more contemporary material (from the likes of Steve Earle and Buddy and Julie Miller). Following his recovery from throat cancer, Helm's voice has a slightly different timbre, but his phrasing is unmistakable as the same vocalist who sang "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" and "Rag Mama Rag." With Amy providing harmony and duet vocals and Levon's drumming evoking his signature work with the Band, Helm takes material from a variety of sources and makes it all his own. --Don McLeese
Product Description
Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Levon Helm's Dirt Farmer will be released
October 30 by Vanguard Records, his first solo, studio album in 25 years. The organic feel of the sessions hark back to his work with The Band and comes on the heels of a wave of attention for his Midnight Rambles, late night concerts held at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, NY.
It's a major landmark on a remarkable journey for Levon Helm. "The last few years have proven to me that we truly live in an age of miracles," writes Levon in the poignant liner notes. After arduous treatments for throat cancer that took away his singing voice and a fire that consumed over eighty percent of his recording studio, Helm was amazed to find both restored.
On Dirt Farmer, Helm's pays tribute to his family, singing traditional songs that he learned growing up in rural Arkansas. He also covers songs by Steve Earle and J.B. Lenoir; full of Dobros, mandolins and acoustic guitars, the album resonates deeply, honoring Levon's roots.
Multi-instrumentalist Larry Campbell (Bob Dylan, Lyle Lovett, Solomon Burke) and Levon's daughter Amy, also a member of Ollabelle, produced and shepherded the project at "The Barn," Levon Helm Studios. Levon himself plays drums, mandolin, and acoustic guitar and provides all lead vocals.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 88 more reviews...
 Easily one of the best albums I've bought August 15, 2008
I purchased this album basically on a whim. Levon Helm sang one of my favorite songs ever with The Band ("The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down"), so I thought I'd give this album a shot. I am really glad I did. Even with his voice not at 100% as he still recovers from throat cancer, his strength, wisdom, tenacity, earnestness, and just plain talent come through with every reedy note. Amazing. Anyone who is interested in keeping American traditional music alive should buy this album and listen to it again and again.
Awsome July 30, 2008
Classic Americana Music, An Instant Classic A Down Home Felling Music
"Real Music" JG
Dirt Farmer July 28, 2008
Levon Helm is awesome. Lyrics are great and the music flows and hits every lick.
Roots Music at its best July 3, 2008
This is my favorite album of the past two years. That 's saying alot because many fine albums have been pressed. However Levon Helm captures the soul of America and sings with a heartfelt passion very seldom heard. Bravo to Leon
 4.5 Stars.... Outstanding album from Levon Helm June 28, 2008
I saw Levon Helm at Bonnaroo a few weeks ago (more on that later) and that made me seek out his 2007 album. We are all aware of Helm's struggles, including recovering from throat cancer, so I couldn't wait to hear the album. And what a delight that turns out to be.
"Dirt Farmer" (13 tracks; 52 min.) brings Americana-music in its best form. Levon Helm takes lead vocals of course on the album, and switches from drums to acoustic guitar throughout the album. His daughter Amy Helm augments on backing vocals throughout, as well as paying drums and other instruments on a number of songs. My favorite tracks include "Poor Old Dirt Farmer", the delightful "Got Me A Woman", which is followed by "A Train Robbery", mostly Levon singing over an acoustic guitar. The song shows the limitations of Levon's vocals, but that just makes it only better and more authentic to me. Other great songs include "The Blind Child" and the closer "Wide Rivers to Cross", which brings it all home and summarizes the album perfectly. I can't emphasize enough what a delight this album has turned out to be for me, and I've been playing it non-stop. Levon himself adds great liner notes to the album (addressed as "Dear Friends").
Back to the Bonnaroo set: it was just fabulous. Levon, looking frail in frame but seemingly doing very well AND enjoying himself, switched from drums to acoustic guitar and mandolin throughout the set, as he did on the album. The set included many of the songs from "Dirt Farmer" but of course included a number of the Band's songs, culminating in the last song of the set, the inevitable "The Weight", bringing it with vigor. What a delight that set was, and one of the highlights for me of the entire Bonnaroo festival. Meanwhile, "Dirt Farmer" is HIGHLY recommended.
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