Music lovers mourn the loss of Robbie Robertson, lead guitarist and songwriter for The Band

Guitarist and songwriter Robbie Robertson — best known for his work with the Canadian-American rock group The Band — died on Wednesday at the age of 80 after battling prostate cancer for about a year.  

In a statement from his manager of 34 years, Jared Levine, he says, “Robbie was surrounded by his family at the time of his death, including his wife, Janet, his ex-wife, Dominique, her partner Nicholas, and his children Alexandra, Sebastian, Delphine, and Delphine’s partner Kenny. He is also survived by his grandchildren Angelica, Donovan, Dominic, Gabriel, and Seraphina.”

In addition to his work in The Band, for which he composed some of their biggest hits such as “Up On Cripple Creek” and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,” Robertson composed music for films, working closely with Martin Scorsese on a number of them. His music can be heard in “Raging Bull,” “King Of Comedy,” “The Color Of Money,” “Casino” and most recently, the upcoming “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Obviously a fan, Scorsese directed a concert film of The Band’s farewell 1976 performance, “The Last Waltz.” In a statement on the passing of his friend and collaborator, he said, “Robbie Robertson was one of my closest friends, a constant in my life and my work.”