Formed in 1968 by Rick Danko, Robbie Robertson, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson and Richard Manuel, The Band was a Canadian-American roots-rock group. The original members first formed to work as a backing band known as The Hawks for Ronnie Hawkins. In 1976, The Band played their last tour show at the Winterland venue in San Francisco California with numerous musical celebrities in an outstanding live performance that became known as "The Last Waltz."