Levon Helm began his career as the only American in The Band, and it was his perspective that inspired their greatest songs even as his drumming and singing style influenced everyone from George Harrison to The Faces. After The Band split in '76, the multi-instrumentalist pursued film acting and a solo music career until the group reformed in the mid '80s. Helm was stricken with throat cancer in the late '90s and soon lost his voice. But he worked his way back, and as his voice grew stronger he released a series of live and studio albums, three of which won GRAMMY®s.