The Band may not be one of the best-known groups from the classic rock era, but all five members have created memorable music both with the band and as solo artists.

One members, Robbie Robertson, will soon release his fifth album, How to Become Clairvoyant. With his last album released in 1998, Robertson’s latest release is something to look forward to for fans of The Band. The current release schedule is for April, 2011. When The Band reformed in 1983 after a breakup in 1976, Robertson was the only one who didn’t rejoin the group. His first solo album, Robbie Robertson, featured Peter Gabriel and U2 and won him the Juno Award, the Canadian Music Award, for album of the year. He has remained a popular musician among guitarists if not a commercial success with his solo efforts.

Robertson played with Bob Dylan, along with fellow The Band bandmate Levon Helm for a few concerts in 1965. This worked out well enough for Dylan to invite the rest of The Band along for his 1965 and 1966 tours. Dylan’s The Basement Tapes featured The Band heavily, though they were known as the Hawks at the time, cementing their reputation with classic rock fans.

An acclaimed guitar player, Robbie Robertson landed a spot on Rolling Stone’s 2003 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time list, coming in at number 78. (Number one was, of course, Hendrix.) The Band’s song The Weight made the magazine’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list at number 41. In 1994, The Band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Because four of the five band members were Canadian, the group made the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1994.

If you've forgotten the sound of The Band, it's worth having a listen.