The Grateful Dead Biography, Photos and Posters

The Grateful Dead

Biography

Started: 1965
City and Country of Origin: San Francisco, CA
Music Training:
Awards:
Top Recordings: "Touch of Grey," "Uncle John's Band," "Casey Jones," "Sugar Magnolia," "Truckin'"
The Grateful Dead Biography: The Grateful Dead hit the stage at the Fillmore West at the same time as Jefferson Airplane and Canned Heat. Their early efforts on small labels went nowhere. However, they did appear on the Warner Records radar screen. Their records continued not to sell, yet the label stuck with them. Their music was surely aimed at the drug culture of the '60s and did not have the same appeal in mainstream America. They were the darlings of the psychedlic rock era, a true cult band. Behind the Dead was singer/songwriter Jerry Garcia who started playing the guitar at the age of 15. He teamed up with Robert Hunter whose lyrics graced many of Garcia's melodies. Garcia was a bluegrass enthusiast and got his start playing with local bluesgrass outfits like Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions with guitarist Bob Weir and keyboardist Ron "Pigpen" McKernan. In 1965 they changed the name to the Warlocks. By the end of '65 they were The Grateful Dead. They became famous for their live free style performances in places like Fillmore Auditorium, the Avalon Ballroom and finally the Monterey Pop Festival. In response to their fans they released their first live concert album, 1969's Live/Dead. The live LP succeeded where the studio efforts failed. It was followed up by two successful studio efforts Workingman's Dead and American Beauty. Their many fans across th ecountry became known as "Deadheads" and were clearly visible in their tie dyed fashions and their excessive drug use. The group closed out its Warner contract with back-to-back live LPs in 1971 and Europe '72. The efforts would be the last for Pigpen McKernan a heavy drinker who died of liver failure in 1973. The band signed a new agreement with Terrapin Records. The 80s brought more problems for the Dead. In '86 Jerry Garcia, a year removed from drug rehab, lapsed into a diabetic coma brought on by continued substance abuse. On August 9, 1995, Garcia was found dead in his room at a substance abuse treatment center. The official cause of death was ruled a heart attack.

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