Gillian Welch has a hit, or at least a standard, in her new song "Hard Times" which she has said was written with Levon Helm in mind. Appropriate, not only musically, as it is indeed a beautiful song he could do well (and he was to have "come in for recording" according to Welch on NPR yesterday) Even MORE appropriate as Welch, an orphan who has imagined her unknown father to BE Levon, (quite possible, as all she knows is that a "traveling musician" was her father and the resemblance is remarkable.) And who knows? As Levon himself has said, "lightning CAN strike twice" and if it were true, who could quibble? Either should be proud of each!
Now Levon does have a talented daughter who sings beautifully as well, Amy. I've seen her sing as well both with her father and with her own band, and both were treats.
A DNA test could clear it up easy enough, but why ruin a (very) good story?
The clip here is a homemade deal someone rigged up on you tube using footage from the 1973 film Paper Moon and it seems to work well enough for Welch to release it herself.
A great, great song no matter what the biological origins and proof that there ARE good songs being written today.
