Levon Helm Band performs “Tennesse Jed” on Letterman last month

On Friday night Phil Lesh was in Connecticut appearing with Furthur at the Vibes. On Saturday he made his way up to Woodstock for a Ramble. Lesh opened for the Levon Helm Band in a five piece that also featured his sons Brian and Grahame on guitars, Lesh’s longtime Phil & Friends bandmate Larry Campbell on violin, pedal steel and guitar as well as drummer Justin Guip. On the day before Jerry Garcia’s birthday, the group offered up multiple Garcia-Hunter classics including “Dire Wolf,” “Cumberland Blues” and “Deal.” Lesh then later sat in with Levon Helm Band on “Tennessee Jed,” which the group performs on its latest release, Electric Dirt, as well as a take on “Shakedown Street” which saw area resident Donald Fagen singing lead. Phil’s sons also joined in for a version of “Brokedown Palace.”

The Levon Helm Band will be touring over the next few weeks and will return to home for a Ramble on August 21.