The Myth of Pigpen: Ron McKernan Held the Grateful Dead Together
Pigpen wasn’t the Dead’s drunk blues singer who got left behind. He was the band’s original leader — and his role was far more important than the myth suggests.
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Owsley’s Ultimatum: The Grateful Dead’s 1970 Breaking Point
In 1970, Owsley Stanley threatened to walk away from the Grateful Dead unless they got their act together. The confrontation nearly destroyed the band.
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Frankie Weir, Sugar Magnolia, and the Women Who Actually Ran the Grateful Dead
The woman behind “Sugar Magnolia” was a go-go dancer, George Harrison’s secretary, and the person who built the Dead’s touring infrastructure.
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The Messy Truth About Keith Godchaux Leaving the Grateful Dead
Keith Godchaux’s exit from the Grateful Dead wasn’t mutual — it involved a stolen piano, a secret audition, and two forced resignations.
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How Owsley “Bear” Stanley’s LSD Built the Grateful Dead’s Sound
Owsley Stanley didn’t just make the acid — he funded the Dead’s equipment, designed their PA, and shaped the band’s entire sonic identity.
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The Night the Grateful Dead Tried to Fire Bob Weir and Pigpen
In 1968, the Grateful Dead voted to fire Bob Weir and Pigpen. The decision lasted weeks — and nearly destroyed the band.
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Donna Jean Godchaux’s Legacy: From Muscle Shoals to the Grateful Dead
Before Donna Jean Godchaux sang with the Grateful Dead, she was a Muscle Shoals session vocalist who sang on records by Elvis and Aretha Franklin.
