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Levon Helm Of 'The Band' Loses Battle With Cancer

NEW YORK (WCBS-FM) -- Levon Helm, well-known for his role as the drummer, lead and backing vocalist of The Band, has lost his decade-long battle with cancer at the age of seventy-one.

Helm was diagnosed with throat cancer in the late 1990s. He underwent radiation treatment which greatly damaged his voice, but Helm didn't allow it to deter him from continuing to make music and touring, including hosting "Midnight Ramble" events at his barn in Woodstock, New York. His recent studio efforts, Dirt Farmer (2007) and Electric Dirt (2009), both earned him GRAMMY Awards.

Read More: The Band's Levon Helm Loses Battle With Cancer At 71

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