Robbie Robertson, The Band’s lead guitarist and songwriter, who went on to become one of Canada’s most famous musicians, died Wednesday at age 80 after a long illness at his home in Los Angeles.

In such classics as “The Weight” and “Up on Cripple Creek,” Toronto-born Robertson, who was part-Mohawk and Cayuga, mined American music and folklore and helped reshape contemporary rock.

From their years as Bob Dylan’s masterful backing group to their own stardom as embodiments of old-fashioned community and virtuosity, The Band profoundly influenced popular music in the 1960s and ‘70s, first by literally amplifying Dylan’s polarizing transition from folk artist to rock star and then by absorbing the works of Dylan and Dylan’s influences as they fashioned a new sound immersed in the American past.

The Band played at the 1969 Woodstock festival, not far from where they lived, and became newsworthy enough to appear on the cover of Time magazine.

After the iconic Martin Scorsese film of The Band’s last concert “The Last Waltz,” and subsequent break-up, Robertson went on to a long career as a solo artist and soundtrack composer. His self-titled 1987 album was certified gold and featured the hit single “Show Down at Big Sky” and the ballad “Fallen Angel.”

He also explored his heritage through such albums as “Music for the Native Americans” and “Contact from the Underworld of Redboy.”

The Band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.

Following Gordon Lightfoot earlier this year, Robertson is the second Canadian music legend to pass in 2023.

Here’s Playing for Change’s fresh perspective on “The Weight,” featuring Robertson, and Ringo Starr.