Monday, April 19, 2010

Blues Roots of the Grateful Dead

The roots of the Grateful Dead run deep into the history of music. Several genres inspired the development of their material and style, with this post focused specifically on the blues influences that turned into songs that were frequently performed live by the Grateful Dead. Most of the traditional blues songs were performed by Pigpen prior to his passing in the early 1970s. Pigpen was the first of several Grateful Dead keyboardists to experience untimely deaths, and he was one of the original members of the band. After his death, Bob Weir did his part to carry the torch, but couldn't totally match Pigpen's chops.

Otis Redding - Hard To Handle


Howlin' Wolf - Smokestack Lightning


Jimmy Reed - Big Boss Man


Mississippi Sheiks - Sitting on Top of the World


No GD post would be complete without the boys themselves, so here is a showcase of Pigpen's blues vocals on 'Hard to Handle.' This clip is an excellent video from a GD concert in 1970.



Pigpen's grave marker in Palo Alto is inscribed:

RONALD C. McKERNAN
1945–1973
PIGPEN WAS
AND IS NOW FOREVER
ONE OF THE
GRATEFUL DEAD

1 comment:

  1. Great post. I think I gotta get me some Otis Redding. And there are some excellent Phil bombs starting at the four minute mark of the GD clip.

    Some other Grateful dead blues classics include Good Morning Little School Girl (also Howlin' Wolf), Turn On Your Love Light (Bobby Bland), Deep Elem Blues, and the anthem Johnny B. Goode, amongst many other great covers.

    God bless the good ol' Grateful Dead

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