The best post-Robbie version of The Band

[John A Arkansawyer]

I say it's this one, the touring version which incorporated the Cate Brothers. Earl Cate is the best of the guitarists that've played in The Band since the first version: I'm not saying that's the best you'll see him play on that tour, but it came to hand quickly and Earl sounds awfully good in it.

The one big problem with this version--and I'm speculating from the outside here, not telling tales out of school--is that Earl's twin brother Ernie's talents on the keyboard were not the addition to The Band that Earl's playing was. I don't know if they ever offered Earl the gig without the rest of the Cates. I doubt they bothered, as Earl and Ernie are pretty close.

Obviously, I'm a fan of the Cates, local guys I'm acquainted with and who I've seen play a couple hundred times at least, so maybe I'm just being a homer here, but I don't think so. I'd claim the Cate Brothers are a tragically underappreciated band, now semi-retired, so catch them if they come to your town.