The Grateful Dead: The Dead Plays On

GRATEFUL DEAD:

THE DEAD PLAYS ON

The Grateful Dead took a different route than many artists. The band isn’t known for their radio hits. They built a massive fan base before they even released an album. It was a combination of their international tours, phenomenal live performances and giving the fans what they asked for, that kept the group’s name alive in the past and in the present time—even after they have stopped making music.

The Grateful Dead was considered to be among the leaders of the hippie movement in San Francisco and many people held them responsible for initiating a psychedelic revolution. According to reports the band first began to receive recognition while serving as the house band for wild and crazy LSD parties which were known as the “Ken Kesey’s Acid Test.” This was a series of parties in the San Francisco bay area focused around the use and experimentation of LSD.

In the 1960s, the Grateful Dead grew a large following by conducting free concerts for all to attend. The band’s fans were referred to as “Deadheads.” Their supporters preferred to see them in concert live opposed to just hearing their music on the radio, watching them on TV or listening to their records. The band was known for improvising when playing live on stage. One of their signature songs was called “Dark Star,” and no one could predict what their next performance would entail each time they hit the stage.

The group recorded their first studio album in just three days. They also produced 26 albums between 1967 and 1990; and a majority of their albums are live recordings.

The band is known for their outrageous sound and exhilarating live performances. The alternative rock sensation combines several different types of music including Bluegrass, Reggae, Blues, Country and Space Rock, just to name a few. Lenny Kaye, an American Guitarist, Writer and Composer said “their music touches on grounds that most other groups don’t even know exists.”

“The Dead,” which is a nickname for the group, was birthed when the band’s leader Jerry Garcia met up with Phil Lesh in 1964. Guitarist Bob Weir, Organist Ron “Pigpen” McKernan and Drummer Bill Kreutzmann were also listed on the Dead roster when the group first appeared on the scene. The band’s line-up changed several times before they stopped making music altogether.

Their best albums included: “Anthem of the Sun,” “Live/Dead,” “Working Man’s Dead,” and “American Beauty,” the latter albums showcased the band’s song writing abilities and included country and folk-influenced tunes.

The Grateful Dead, previously called the “Warlocks,” were signed to MGM Records in 1966. Their live performances%C

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