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Robbie Robertson, The Band co-founder and guitarist, dead at 80

Robbie Robertson, The Band lead singer and guitarist, died Wednesday. The Canadian musician was a longtime collaborator with Martin Scorsese.

Robbie Robertson, The Band guitarist, died Wednesday in Los Angeles. He was 80.

Robertson served as the lead guitarist for Bob Dylan in the ‘60s and ’70s, and collaborated with Martin Scorsese on a number of films, including the director's most recent project, "Killers of the Flower Moon."

"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," his manager, Jared Levine, said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital.

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"He is also survived by his grandchildren Angelica, Donovan, Dominic, Gabriel, and Seraphina."

Levine, his manager of 34 years, added, "Robertson recently completed his fourteenth film music project with frequent collaborator Martin Scorsese, 'Killers of the Flower Moon.'"

"Robbie Robertson was one of my closest friends, a constant in my life and my work. I could always go to him as a confidante. A collaborator. An advisor. I tried to be the same for him," Scorsese said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital.

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"Long before we ever met, his music played a central role in my life—me and millions and millions of other people all over this world. The Band’s music, and Robbie’s own later solo music, seemed to come from the deepest place at the heart of this continent, its traditions and tragedies and joys." 

Scorsese added, "It goes without saying that he was a giant, that his effect on the art form was profound and lasting. 

"There’s never enough time with anyone you love. And I loved Robbie."

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Robertson was born in Toronto and raised on the Six Nations Reserve. He began playing guitar at age 10. By the time he was 16, he and Levon Helm formed the Hawks and were the backing band for rockabilly star Ronnie Hawkins. 

"The Hawks went on to play with Bob Dylan on his legendary ‘Going Electric’ tours in 1965 and 1966," Levine shared. "Moving to Woodstock in 1967, Robertson and his bandmates recorded the seminal "basement tapes" with Dylan before changing their name to The Band and releasing the groundbreaking ‘Music from Big Pink’ album in 1968." 

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