By John W. Barry
Published December 6,2005
The explosion of blues had yet to start ricocheting off the walls of Levon Helm's Woodstock recording studio.
The Persian rugs on the floor and the attention of hundreds belonged for now to the woman who talked like the Alabama girl she was, but who emanated an air of royalty as though a monarch from some far off land. She wore no tiara, but stood nonetheless in sparkling light, as the Saturday night spotlights of rock 'n' roll danced on her beaded guitar strap.
If Elvis Presley is the king, then Emmylou Harris is the queen. Harris did not simply thrill those who turned out to see her Saturday at Helm's "Ramble," an intimate, semi-regular concert headlined by the Levon Helm Band. She left them stunned.
Harris played for about an hour then left Helm's barnlike studio. She was so quiet and still during her original song "Red Dirt Girl," that the audience seemed to have stopped breathing, fearful they might miss one note of singing.
Accompanying her and Helm on guitar was Larry Campbell, who for years toured with Bob Dylan.
Helm followed
Emmylou left the stage a tough act to follow. But Helm, former drummer for The Band, was greeted with cheers the way a president is received by Congress on the night he gives his State of the Union speech. The crowd loved Emmylou, but Helm's grand entrance made it clear who they had come to see. The cheering grew loud when Helm leaned into the microphone to say, "I see Christmas has come early to Woodstock."
Playing electric mandolin, Helm led his band through "Atlantic City," which appeared on The Band album "Jericho." Harris returned to the stage to join Helm's band, performing on "Evangeline," which she and The Band performed together in the ensemble's famous movie, "The Last Waltz."
Helm and Harris also sang gospel songs with a country flavor and blues back beat.