Jacob Hatley's documentary about the late Levon Helm (who died in 2012) is a flinty valedictory to a rough-hewn but cagey and soulful musician.

Like any song that's morphed into our musical vernacular, "The Weight" has come to exist as a backdrop in American folk culture. It pops up in films when the scene is meant to express something uniquely "American" that dialog just can't seem to capture.

It's my (and many others') pick for the best rock concert movie ever: Martin Scorsese's The Last Waltz. For those in the dark, this was Scorsese's filming of The Band's farewell concert at San Francisco's Winterland Ballroom on Thanksgiving Day, 1976.

Before he died on April 19, 2012 Helm gave specific instructions from his hospital bed to carry on the tradition of the Ramble. His exact words were, "Keep it goin."

The custodian of The Band's music was Levon Helm. It could be no other way. The drummer is the literal heartbeat of a band. Levon was that, and more.

In 2011, Robbie Robertson's album How To Become Clairvoyant was not only one of the more satisfying releases of the year, but it also was the artist's most personal statement about his life, covering topics from spirituality to the breakup of The Band.

Diary of a Player: How My Musical Heroes Made a Guitar Man Out of Me is the story of Brad Paisley's life with strings attached, and a very open and personal love letter to the guitar from one of its finest practioners today.

Tuesday, July 19th, marks Tim Robbins' debut on Savoy's 429 Records with his brand new solo album.

Your musical past and future both await you this week. Witness Robbie Robertson and Ray Davies, who are keeping classic rock dreams alive. Then behold the Ravonettes and the Kills, who are bringing new ones to life.

Robertson talks working with Eric Clapton on his latest record and how things have changed since his days with The Band.

This week, we feature music from Jack White, Billy Eckstine, Ringo Starr, Debbie Harry, and Rufus Wainwright and others.

Right now is the time for real financial reform. Come to think of it, right now is actually way too late for real financial reform. Still, better now than not now, right?

In music, when a record "breaks," it's a good thing. In Washington, when our government "breaks," it's generally a bad, bad thing. At least that's what I got from Senator Evan Bayh.

Fortunately, as the father of two sons, absolutely no one is asking me to see New Moon, but for those out there waiting in some bloody line, here's my moon-themed playlist.

With Layne Staley's death, Alice In Chains was all but done. But fourteen years later, here we are with something that sounds a lot like what the group would have had they returned to the studio a couple years later.

R.E.M. will be releasing Live At The Olympia, a 39-song, two CD set containing "working rehearsals" from 2007. I was lent a track that captures the band's energy and insightful views.

This week's column features Curumin, Telemetry Orchestra, Howlin Wolf, Heartless Bastards, Robbie Robertson and Peaches.

Leonard's voice really has grown better over the years, Yeah Yeah's new album is 42 minutes of electronically retro-licious pop, and Sara Watkins is as a serious lyricist with a mission.

Decades before Uncle Tupelo, Wilco, Son Volt and The Jayhawks re-introduced and expanded the parameters of roots-rock, there was a scrappy little group, originally hailing from El Cerrito, California.

The real party down in expensive, tony, and apparently cold St. Bart's this year was on December 30th. The location was Microsoft co founder Paul Alle...