For those of you who know me personally, you know that I’ve been a Grateful Dead “Head” for many, many decades…

I’ve traveled up and down the east coast over all those years to see their shows and was never, ever once disappointed or have come away not loving their music even more. Packing up my pick-up truck with food, beverages and my dog, and getting ready for those shows was just so much flippin’ fun. 

Unless you’ve lived in a cave somewhere, you obviously know who the Grateful Dead are (or were), but could have taken or left their music for what it was worth, I fully understand. They and their music are not everyone’s “cup of tea”. But for those of us who did love them and their music, we are a brother and sisterhood that spans not only time and place, but of culture. We just loved the music and how it touches us in some physical and cerebral place that is very often hard to describe. I could strike up a conversation with a random stranger on some remote hiking trail in Colorado, or in a bar in Key West, Florida, or somewhere in Europe and if the subject of the Grateful Dead came up, there is immediately a personal connection. Conversation would go instantly to “how many shows have you seen?”, or “where have you seen them?”, or “what shows do you remember most?”. Instantaneously, with people you still have no idea even what their first names are, there would be huge smiles, laughing and stories of the wild pre-show tailgate parties and how incredibly awesome this or that show was. The conversations transcended through many, many years and the personal stories and adventures of seeing the “Dead” in some venue, far, far away, (or close) were just so much fun to hear about and impart. And, I’m hoping to continue this until the day I’m taken home.

On a sad note, (and, probably the reason for this blog post) Bob Weir, one of the founding members of the Grateful Dead passed away this week at the age of 78. Along with Jerry Garcia (who passed in 1995), Bob and Phil Lesh (who passed in 2024) formed one of the most iconic rock bands in 1965 to ever grace a stage. Their legacy will remain intact for all the old deadheads and the younger ones still coming up who are just now listening to and enjoying their music. Bob continued to perform just as recently as last fall, and his passing struck a hard chord as it continues to cement in me just how fleeting, short and transient our lives are. One moment we are dancing and singing in some obscure music venue in our 20’s and 30’s, and the next we’re in our 60’s and 70’s with bones and muscles maybe not working as intensely or strongly, but still dancing and singing with the same joy and heartfelt enthusiasm as we did when we were young. My memories of all those Grateful Dead shows (I’ve seen over 100 of them) with all my friends, new and old, will never, ever be forgotten.

I also recall and loved traveling and camping all over the U.S. with friends in some distant mountain or backcountry location listening to the music on my boombox and singing and dancing around huge campfires just allowing all of life’s cares to melt away. And, for just one more moment or two, we were without care or problem and our lives were totally fulfilled. And to be honest, that is what our lives should be about…no matter what we are doing.

Most of us have some type or kind of band, group, singer or music we prefer, and I hope whatever music you listen to takes you to a place that as Jerry has said “soothes your soul”. For me it is the Grateful Dead and I can still sit by myself in my living room, in my car or anywhere for that matter, put on the Dead and “leave the premises” for a just a few minutes and enjoy the music that never stops…

From the Grateful Dead song “Brokedown Palace”, which talks about leaving this life and transitioning to another, I’ll leave one of the lyrics for Jerry, Bobbie and Phil and say “fare thee well” guys and thanks from the bottom of my heart…I hope you realized the joy and happiness you have given to me and so many millions of other deadheads.

Hoping some day to see you on the other side…