HUDSON VALLEY, N.Y. -- After taking home the gold at the Grammys this year, Hudson Valley native and a former member of "The Band," Levon Helm, is in the final stages of his battle with cancer.

Levon's family posted a message on his website on Tuesday about his battle, asking for prayers and thanking fans for their support.

Helm was diagnosed with throat cancer in 1998. Even though the illness has reduced his voice to a whisper, Helm has continued to sing on albums and at concerts at his Woodstock home.

Helm and other original members of The Band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.