In a way that no prior rock act had done, the Band assimilated, remade, and contagiously celebrated the rich, deep tributaries of American vernacular music. Blues, country, jazz, folk, gospel, soul, rock'n' roll - the members soaked it all up, distilling what they heard and felt into an alchemical brew all their own. Via this vibrant concoction, the group - Levon Helm, Robbie Robertson, Rick Danko, Richard Manuel, and Garth Hudson - reshaped popular...