Bob Dylan has paid tribute to his collaborator and “lifelong good friend” Robbie Robertson following his loss of life aged 80.
Robertson, who performed lead guitar in Dylan’s backing band after his controversial shift to play electrical guitar within the Sixties, handed away in Los Angeles on Wednesday following a protracted sickness.
In a press release issued to Billboard, Dylan mourned his previous bandmate.
“That is surprising information,” the music legend, 82, stated. “Robbie was a lifelong good friend. His passing leaves a emptiness on the earth.”
The Canadian musician, who Dylan dubbed a “mathematical guitar genius,” performed with Dylan as a member of the Hawks. Members of that group later fashioned The Band, which Robertson led to large success in their very own proper.
In a press release asserting his loss of life, the late musician’s long-time supervisor, Jared Levine, stated: “Robbie was surrounded by his household on the time of his loss of life, together with his spouse, Janet, his ex-wife, Dominique, her companion Nicholas, and his youngsters Alexandra, Sebastian, Delphine, and Delphine’s companion Kenny. He’s additionally survived by his grandchildren Angelica, Donovan, Dominic, Gabriel and Seraphina.”
Robertson additionally labored with Martin Scorsese on the music for 14 of his movies, together with the upcoming Killers of the Flower Moon.
Scorsese additionally paid tribute to The Band rocker following his loss of life, calling him one in all his “closest pals”.