Garth Hudson, Last Surviving Member of The Band, Dead at 87

Garth Hudson, the last surviving member of the classic rock group The Band, has died.

Hudson died in his sleep in Woodstock, New York Tuesday morning, according to his estate.

Hudson, who played keyboards, was a founding member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group, which later became a backing band for Bob Dylan in the 1960s before branching out to success on its own.

The Band’s signature blend of rock, country, folk and blues earned them industry respect and fame … they were one of the acts that played at the famed Woodstock Festival in 1969.

The Band consisted of Robbie Robertson, Levon Helm, Rick Danko, Richard Manuel, and Garth Hudson — in addition to Dylan, they worked with Neil Young and others, and were featured in the Martin Scorsese concert documentary “The Last Waltz” released in 1978. Eric Clapton, Neil Diamond, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Ringo Starr and Muddy Waters, among many others, all appeared at The Band’s final concert — the subject of the film — on Thanksgiving 1976 in San Francisco.

Garth Hudson was 87.