Levon Helm has a new album. How had this monumental announcement managed to slip by me? A mom with kids dealing with all lots of time consuming duties such as myself doesn't have much time to pay attention to which direction the wind might be blowing in the industry. Nothing very interesting has happened in that area in quite a while, so why should I be paying attention? Then, just when I think there is no hope for change I'm blindsided with anticipation over this exciting bit of news.

I have very little time in my day for myself, but when I have a little downtime I find myself drifting towards the radio out of habit more than for any other reason. Too many times my disappointment far outweighs any satisfaction I get from those few moments of rolling the dial back and forth. There are good singers out there that occasionally churn out some catchy lyrics, but somehow most all of these artists just miss the boat when it comes to being real. Levon Helm is what I call real. He can take a mediocre song and make it real. Dirt Farmer, with his daughter Amy, should be a real treat as that apple does not appear to have fallen far from the tree.

Anybody who can listen to him sing The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down and make it through without tears rolling off their chin or without the feeling that their heart's swelling so big that it threatens to cut off their wind just can't be human. I don't see how a rush of just pure feeling could escape anybody from the north or south when they have the privilege of hearing him sing that tune. Songs about such tragedy don't usually bring on feelings of pure joy but it's not the words of this song that are so moving. It's Levon's soul wrenching delivery that has made me play that song as many as ten times in a row back to back.

I've heard it said that Levon's voice is an acquired taste. If that's the case, I was born an addict. I was hooked with the first verse I ever heard him sing. I can't explain the exact effect of his music and I would be at a complete loss to try. It brings me some comfort to know that I'm not the only fan that has trouble defining Levon's unique gift. All the usual terms to describe singers, songs or most any musical piece fail miserably. A mutual friend of ours said he sounded "grouchy" in the most complimentary way. I don't think that grouchy would have been a term that I would have used, but I knew exactly what Frank meant. He was trying to come up with a more original way to say how great Levon makes every piece of music that he chooses to touch and no doubt improve with his magnificent gift.