By 1974, the Grateful Dead had become a victim of their own ambition. What began as a loose collective of musicians passionate about exploring sonic possibility had evolved into a sprawling organization with overhead that rivaled small corporations. The Wall of Sound—the revolutionary, massive sound reinforcement system that had defined their live performances since 1972—was…
Keith Godchaux’s exit from the Grateful Dead wasn’t mutual — it involved a stolen piano, a secret audition, and two forced resignations.
The Grateful Dead hired a disco producer, made an album the critics hated, and accidentally named the parking lot economy that became their legacy.
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.
The Grateful Dead wrote “Scarlet Begonias” after failing to land a Bob Marley collaboration — and it became half of their most iconic song pairing.
The Dancing Bears weren’t dancing — they were marching. And the man who drew them wasn’t a hippie artist. He was Owsley Stanley’s hand-picked designer.