Pryor Center to Unveil Bust of Musician Levon Helm

A bronze bust of musician Levon Helm will be unveiled at 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 12, at the David and Barbara Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History on the Fayetteville Square. Special guest Amy Helm Levon Helm's daughter will make a presentation as part of the ceremonies and then perform music at George's Majestic Lounge later in the evening.

Levon Helm grew up in the East Arkansas community of Turkey Scratch, just outside the town of Marvell. He learned to play guitar and drums at an early age and in high school joined a rockabilly band called The Hawks, led by Ronnie Hawkins of Fayetteville. Hawkins and The Hawks parted ways in 1963, and The Hawks eventually became The Band, the backing band for Bob Dylan through the early 1970s. The Band also released its own recordings, including Music From the Big Pink, which met with critical success.

The house in which Helm grew up is being moved from Turkey Scratch to Marvell for restoration and the bronze bust of Helm will become the centerpiece for the Levon Helm Legacy Project in Marvell.