In early 1964, the then-current lineup of Ronnie Hawkins' backing band The Hawks (2) quit en masse and went "solo" as Levon And The Hawks (and briefly as The Canadian Squires).

The lineup was Levon Helm, Rick Danko, Richard Manuel, Garth Hudson, Robbie Robertson, joined by Jerry Penfound and, briefly, Bruce Bruno. In 1965 the group, as a 5-piece, was recruited to back Bob Dylan. Helm left this tour later the same year and was replaced by, in order, drummers Bobby Gregg, Sandy Konikoff (also a former member of The Hawks (2)), and finally Mickey Jones (2). Helm would rejoin the group in Woodstock in 1967, and they would rename themselves The Band in 1968.

Later releases credited to "Bob Dylan & The Hawks" should be assigned to the PAN Levon And The Hawks, ANV'd to "The Hawks", and not to Ronnie Hawkins' continuing backing band The Hawks (2).