Sunday, November 10, 2019

Remembering Levon Helm; Musician, Actor, Author, Inspiration

Via Ron W Thanks for posting the excellent version of that song. Lead singer and drummer, Levon Helm, played the old Athens, Tennessee gunsmith in the movie, "Shooter". ( I didn't know he had  the same cancer as had I.  He was advised to cut it out but went for radiation as I did but on the recommendation of my surgeon at Fort Kue Army Hospital, OK who had graduated from my military school after me.  Mine came back also and was cut out.  Too bad he didn't have the same luck as I have had so far but it did eventually allow him to sing again which I imagine pleased him the most.)


12 comments:

  1. He played the part of Loretta Lynn's father in the movie, "COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER".

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    1. And played it as if he were born to.

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    2. It's been quite a while since I've seen it but will look again. Thanks.

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  2. The clip from "Shooter" left out his best lines. He's talking about conspiracies and remarks that the men who killed Kennedy were dead and buried west of Terlingua within hours. When the FBI agent asks him if he knows that for a fact, Helm replies, "Still got the shovel". Perfect!

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  3. Me neither. But I loved the old gunsmith character he played in "Shooter". When they drove up, to his place in Athens, TN, Bob Lee Swagger woke up and said, "Welcome to Tennessee, patron State of shootin' stuff". Athens was the place where WWII vets took up arms to oust a corrupt city machine in 1946. And the old gunsmith was a"conspiracy theorist" just like me. :-) --Ron W

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    1. Thanks and remember Athens well. http://www.namsouth.com/viewtopic.php?t=4142&highlight=athens

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  4. A documentary, "I Ain't in it for My Health" gave us a look at his later life and it is strongly recommended.
    Quite the good fellow, from all accounts, and he's seen in the film largely happy and content. The struggles with health begin to take their toll but we are spared the details.

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  5. Chuck Yeager's side kick in "The Right Stuff".

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