JIM WEIDER

Woodstock native Jim Weider got a chance to prove his mettle in the mid-80s when he stepped up to replace Robbie Robertson in The Band. Here, he tells us his story - and how a '52 Tele came along for the ride

- Andrew Daly

After moving from Woodstock to Santa Barbara to Nashville, then to Atlanta and back to Woodstock again, few things in Jim Weider's life were stable but for his beloved '52 Fender Telecaster. He was something of a rover - a nomad, if you will. Even though he could play with the best, Weider could never make a gig stick.

But that all changed when his old pals from The Band - whom Weider had befriended in Woodstock, New York, back in the 60s - came calling in 1985 with an invitation. Not just any old invitation but one to join a rebooted version of The Band as Robbie Robertson's replacement.

If that sounds unenviable, know that Weider disagrees. "It was exciting because I grew up with that music," he tells Guitarist. "And I was in pretty tough shape after playing four sets a night for months on end for years in clubs. My playing was in good shape, I felt comfortable, and they said, 'Just do it.' But it was a big step for me going from bars to big stages like that." Weider's toughness was immediately put to the test, as piano player Richard Manuel died by suicide after a show in Florida. Making matters worse, despite Weider's rosy outlook, the fact is that The Band - who went out grandly with 1978's The Last Waltz - faced an uphill battle without Robertson as they toiled away in clubs and small theatres.

Regardless, Weider stuck it out and by 1993 his era of The Band had signed with Pyramid Records, which proved to be another bruising decision as their financial and in-house difficulties led to 1993's Jericho - The Band's first record since '78 - going all but unnoticed. "I thought that record came out great," Weider says. "It could have done better if we had the powers that be back it more." Surprisingly, as the 90s rolled on, things got better for The Band. They kept on making albums and were even on hand for memorable moments alongside Roger Waters and the Grateful Dead, for whom they opened during their final shows at Soldier Field in '95.