Music from Big Pink

Music from Big Pink is the debut album by The Band, released July 1, 1968. It takes its name from the large pink farmhouse in West Saugerties, New York, where three of the band members lived and composed much of the material. The formal recordings were completed in roughly two weeks at A&R Recording in New York and Capitol Studios in Los Angeles, produced by John Simon.

The album arrived in the thick of the Summer of Love aftermath, when psychedelia ruled rock radio, yet it sounded like nothing else: a deeply rooted blend of gospel, soul, country, folk, and rock that drew on the entire sweep of American vernacular music. Three Bob Dylan compositions appear on the record, providing the first public glimpse of the style the two had developed together in the legendary basement sessions at the house. The cover painting was by Dylan himself.

Critical reception was immediate and rapturous. Al Kooper wrote in Rolling Stone: "This album was recorded in approximately two weeks. There are people who will work their lives away in vain and not touch it." Its influence on peers was seismic: Eric Clapton said it convinced him to disband Cream; the Rolling Stones pivoted toward the earthy roots sound of Beggars Banquet; the Beatles shifted away from psychedelia toward the self-titled White Album. Roger Waters named it second only to Sgt. Pepper as rock rock most influential record. Today the album is widely credited as foundational to the entire Americana genre.