the song accompanying this video is called "Let me sing your blues away" and Keith wrote this song while with the grateful dead. ** sorry for the typo✌️
I've heard that too. WTF happened to her voice? For me she ruined alot of the 70's dead shows with her off key wailing and her annoying dueting with bobby
Hey now! I really appreciate your comment, I know we all want to keep the inspiration shining forever, so I am so pleased to be able to share the things I know, and learn about our boys! Thanks for stopping bye, NFA 🙋🏼♀️✌️😁😁😁🔴⚡️🔵💫
K & D !!! They were a great part of the Music for a long time... No one has ever played US Blues on keyboards as smoking as Keith did....Mars Hotel is epic. Great Version....
@@LucyLennon20 This was before Heart of Gold Band. It was released in 75 and Jerry played guitar. It came out around the same time as Tiger Rose by Robert Hunter.
@@LucyLennon20 Yes. I don't know if they were calling themselves Heart of Gold band at that time. I thought of it more as a side project while the dead were in hiatus. I know nothing about the heart of gold band other than "everybody's playing" in it.
@@charlesandrews2360like you said the baby album was a side-proj. I read Jerry played on all tracks. That baby is Zion Godchaux born in 1974. The Heart of Gold Band formed after they left GD in late '79. Tragically Keith died in a car crash in 1980🥀
@@ilkkaensio9346 when i was restarting my relationship with the dead last winter I came across the Winterland 74 version of Scarlet and I just stood there with my mouth open and watched it three times at least, probably twenty times in the next month. I realized that I was seeing the lineup for my favorite recordings for the first time. I've come to appreciate Mickey but Bill was absolutely incandescent between Skull and Mars. It's actually pretty hard to find information about exactly which albums MH was on, but I think it's fair to say that Bill exceeded a lot of expectations when he didn't have to accommodate him.
I agree the Billy years were absolutely amazing. But I wouldn't trade what Mickey brought to the mix with the transcendent power of drums/space and his percussive contributions.
It's a shame that Keith succumbed to that hard drugs and alcohol trap so many musicians fall into once they achieve some success. He was obviously very talented and clearly helped the Dead to reach new musical heights, at least early on.
The big reason that Donna had issues on stage was the primitive monitor systems of the time. Due to the volume, she often couldn't hear other voices, or herself. Staying on key was difficult.
They all had this issue but Donna sounded bad way more often than the others. She wasn’t a great singer. Not sure why Deadheads can’t hear this on so many recordings. There are so many unlistenable shows because of this. Brent was a huge improvement.
@cedarbay3994 it's because we are all blindly loyal! But to me she wasn't part of the core band. I never liked her singing. And I know they all had sound problems but they all sounded 1,000% better than her. But again, I am grateful for all the music they put out, even with her singing!
I’m not buying. That’s like the bad carpenter blaming his tools. The Grateful Dead were way ahead of everyone else when it came to live concert sound production.
The Grateful Dead were at their best with Keith & Donna as vital members of the band. That was the time when I was an active DeadHead, I went to 153 shows during that time and they were the best times for the band.
I just started diving into their real catalogue in early 2023 and I agree with you, with some grumpy caveats. I actually dislike Donna's vocal style personally, much as I really dislike brent's keyboard playing, but those years were without a doubt the most consistent and exciting for the band as a whole. I also really just like Keith's work. The 80's and 90's had a lot of very high highs musically but a lot of real slogs too. Just what I've observed.
Keith was enamored with the grand piano which provided the perfect twinkling of the keys. It was a bear to move from show to show and tune. I’m happy the Crew was accommodating ❤. Wall of Sound had its own array for Keith’s piano🎉
Yeah that helps. And they were a package deal and Donna has a great voice that complimented Bobby or whoever. I wish I could have seen them with the godchaux’s
@@judd0112Donna Jean was a popular backup singer. During the late 60's she sang on a number of Elvis Presley recordings; including Suspicious Minds and In the Ghetto.
I never realized that Keith sang back-up with JGB until I came across this: th-cam.com/video/l9coXN0TR2Q/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=Wolfgang%27sGratefulDead
Hey now it's my 50th Anniversary as a deadhead! Saw my first show Nassau Coliseum spring 73 at age 16. So I experienced many shows during Keith and Donna's era. For me personally that line-up was their golden era, esp w/the wall of sound. As they morphed into the Brent years i was still there. Post Brent into the Wince Velnick period i was still there. Post Jerry into Further i was there. Post Further ino Dead and Co. i retired. However post-retirement im digging Bob and the Wolf Brothers/Pack, and Phil and friends and family. Let the words be yours I'm done with mine
Thanks for sharing. I was a bit later than you. First show 1980 & then all the way through to the present. I loved all eras of the Dead, wish I could have seen Pig in his prime. Post Jerry years have been tough but I hopped on the DeadCo bus and it was a sweet ride. They played the music at a high level and I simply wasn't done. It allowed me to come full circle and inner peace with the experience. Bob & wolf bros is great! NFA ⚡️💀🥀
Ha.......my 50th anniversary as well....saw the Dead in Boston that year (or was it 74?....some of my younger brain cells are floating around the universe like Jerry's notes). My favorite Dead years: 1974 and 1977 (Sprig tour).
My first encounter with the🥳❤️the Dead was for me an opening to the real world. In 74 I graduated college @OSU. I said Now God show me the real world! From my first show in Portland OR my journey of discovery led me to the World's Fair in Spokane WA where we proved we could live without police & laws on 35 acres near town. I planted the first gardens including a 7 pointed star (from The Lost Universe a book about the Pawnee Nation) of pot seeds I had saved from 4 years of smoking the sacred plant that gives, according to the Bible, victory over death & peace that passeth understanding, but this quote was only in Bibles written before 1600. Isaiah 42:3 "There comes the Son of Man so gentle, He Will not harm the broken reed nor quench the smoking of hemp till He bring Peace upon the Earth & death is swallowed up in Victory"
The Dead played at Corvallis in 69 or 70 with the wall of sound. I was there, having lived on and off the streets of Eugene for 2 years. By the way, that quote from the Bible is not at all about weed,, but about Jesus Christ bearing with the poverty stricken and not cutting off those who have a little faith to be saved😮
I saw their last show with the Dead 2-14-1979 in Oakland, and it's a fine show, although Keith and Donna were pretty shakey. It was a Save the Whales benefit and "Fun with Dick and Jane" was shown before the concert. Jane Fonda gave a little speech while Dead Heads were freaking the f. out because everyone was tripping balls at this point and we just wanted the movie to be over and the music to start. Wonderful Terrapin into Playing in the Band.
I was at their first show without them at sheas Buffalo theater in Buffalo n.y. it was strange but good. Sheas was saved from the wrecking ball by ambitious old men. To bad they are not around to see sheas fully restored.
To each his own. I find that I rarely listen to anything from the Brett Mydland years - which is a long chunk of time. I fell like the band lost a lotta soul when K and D left. It's all good.
@@backbay2242 Same here. I listen to the Grateful Dead channel on Sirious XM throughout the day while I am driving for my job. With rare exceptions, anytime anything from the 1980s comes on I switch to another channel. It's hard to tolerate Brent's singing and use of the B3; and the sloppy, inarticulate, mushy sound of the whole band during the '80s. Much prefer the Dead sound of the '60s and '70s, and even the '90s with Hornsby.
Sounds like I'm hearing Martin Fiero on the last 2 versions of "Simg Yr Blues Away" and I seem to have vague memories seeing Keith+Donna playing w/ JGB for a while doing a different flavor of repertoire than he did w/ Merle, Legion of Mary, Howard Wales: Catfish John, They Love Each Other, Simple Melody in C(?), etc maybe you can help an ancient crone's failing memory on this subject Compliments on many apt phrasings in the informative text. Well done!
Because they carried him through the show while he was standing in a trance with his head down. But I believe jerry played ferociously when he was in that h zone. the fat man rocks trouble ahead, Jerry in red
Asking them to leave was the best decision they ever made. Donna was good in the studio, but let's face it, she sucked live. Some recordings are literally unlistenable it's so bad. I don't buy the "she couldn't hear the monitors" excuse - everyone else could hear them fine except her? The band was great during that era, but her vocals ruined a lot of incredible performances.
my favorite version of the dead...the donna and keith years....first time I spotted this magnifiscent older hippie mama...., she walked onto that high stage at dylan stadium her hair was the longest I had ever seen, long raven tresses that swayed in time to sugaree...mind- blowing, man!.....not sure whta you meant by "hearing the monitors"...ok, a few times she was stoned bad and sang bad, but the grateful dead were never better than with a female voice. same with the airplane!!...years later, i was blessed to see her with dark star orchestra..around new york...her interpretation of the dead catalog brought a breath of fresh air to a stagnant period of rock....by the way, jimi hendrix and dylan were not the best singers, but take it all in context man, I think your "unlistenable" appraisal deserves a re- appraisal!!
its the same excuse she used every time she was asked. BULLSHIT. She had plenty of time to adapt. I mean they did a zillion shows and in the end she still sucked. Sorry just my opinion but I saw alot of 70's shows and she never impressed me once. To this day I can hardly stomach any of the songs she sings on
A very *_nice_* and refreshingly accurate little "historic compilation", WMg, with some critical technical specs... TOO!!!👌 Thus well noted that, _"at concerts from 1972-1974, Godchaux's rented pianos were outfitted with a state-of-the-art pickup system designed by Carl Countryman. According to sound engineer Owsley Stanley (😘) the Countryman pickup worked by an electrostatic principle similar to the way a condenser mic works....."_ 👍 *Tragically* for Keith, though all to common, "When you're too stoned to grow, you sadly gotta go." 😵💫 🙏 ☮ *OH....PS...* The selected soundtracks to exemplify the text were particularly "descriptive" = Ramble On Rose..... 😎
Hey now!! Thanks for stopping by and I really appreciate you commenting! A band beyond description! Thank you for that info, I love to learn all I can, about my lifelong obsession 😁🙋🏼♀️👍✌️🔵⚡️🔴
Indeed sizzda.... Too many wonderful Live GD events to even begin to count!!! 🤣 The early "going till dawn" parties at the old Fillmore West and later at Winterland are some of the most cherished experiences, *_and memories,_* in my life.... with whom IMHO are THE Happiest and Most "Soulful Sound" ever to 'emerge' in the entire rock era. 😋 Over 50 years later, *STILL **_Joyously Rockin,_* even now with a touch of grey!!! th-cam.com/video/mzvk0fWtCs0/w-d-xo.html 🥰
@@elmagodelmaryahoo life-changing, life-affirming music and lyrics, they have come to me in some very dark times and lifted me out into the light. I know you know exactly what I mean. That's what makes us the Grateful Dead family. I'm so glad that you're still here and you're still listening! We always will be.✌️😁🔵⚡️🔴🎶💫
I guess, now that I think about it, that tapes of certain Keith n Donna era shows were always my preferred post-show listen especially as the night turned into day and my closed eyes were filled with colors and I couldn't wait until the next show no matter the year or experience.
Thanks for putting this out there. Didn't know about the substace abuse, but not surprised. I found Donna' vocals overbearing, especially in certain points, like at the end of the instrumental section in "Playing In The Band." And The Dead were fine without them - or maybe just her. But anyway ... If you ever can, please correct the misspelling of "compliment" - should be "complement." It's a common enough mistake. At least you were consistent, each of the three instances. 😉 Keep on keepin' on!
Funny I thought Donna’s job was to sing out of tune and out of time with the rest of the band. Forget a Dolby Filter on a stereo, I always thought they should come with a Donna filter! Keith was awesome.
I can’t remember the exact show, but the band was doing a super slow. Super sweet intro to Saint Stephen. From this intro, you knew it was going to be epic. However As the vocals were starting … Donna came in one beat too early! It was a shrieking, rude noise that she made. Eargasm interruptus.
Oh shit, a singer in the Grateful Dead at a live show made a MISTAKE, and their name wasn't Bob, Jerry, or Phil?? YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING!! Sue John Scher for your ticket money back, with interest!!!
I never understood the Keith/Donna hate. She was a very good singer who was sometimes mixed way too high, and their monitor setup during their time in the band was iffy at best. Keith was a solid contributor through 1977. After '77, Jerry became unimpressed of Keith echoing whatever he was doing. The problems with Keith and Donna (arguments, drugs, alcohol) really turned the band off, and Weir had been playing with Brent Mydland in Bobby and the Midnites throughout '78 without major issues. But Jerry, Bob and Phil had been pitchy from the beginning. None had perfect pitch.
I full understand where they are coming from...dont agree.......the dead never sounded better than back then....well hoffmayer.....we all remember those stereo nerds who had to have the phillips and the pioneer shit....the same ones whowould ruin your buzz by talkin about amps, and condenser mics once you had a nice righteous buzz a-going.....I sure do, they were a bunch of spoiled rich preppies I went to taft with...loved donna....she had a southern background, and had already sang with the soul in muscle shoal......funniest thing tho, the stereo nerds had the best pot ever! Hahahahaha..those were some strange times!
I can't stand when whoever their keyboard player was echoed Jerry. Though it's funny you're saying that of Keith. I feel like that was more of a Brent thing.
@@doublek321no, Keith "slaved" Jerry towards the end. 1978 isn't all bad, but listen closely and Keith isn't anywhere near 71-74/75 or 76-early 77 with inspiration. Except for 83-86 extreme spotty moments and lack of interest by Jerry and Phil at times, Brent grew more and more confident and the whole dynamic was great. My complaint of even the 89-90 GD was that the long stretched out tunes became shorter even if some shows were segued perfectly some shows during the 2nd set. I don't remember the year, but a few days ago I was listening to a Playin' that maxed out at roughly 9 minutes. Brent's final 3 night run saw a 2nd set on night one where if there was a pause it was after Fire and before the next tune (PITB????). An amazing end to a great musician.
i liked Keith, but LOVED Brent's keyboard ! Seeing Donna at Cornell in 77 had me wondering what on earth they were thinking with her on stage.....No offense to Donna..
There were times when she really sounded good, at least on the tapes, releases, and stuff picked for play on GD Hour and on Sirius. The mellower, slower tunes were where she shined best and either in a quieter harmony or more subdued backing or even times kept singing even if Jerry stopped. I can think of Row Jimmy, Looks Like Rain, JGB stuff, other GD tunes though I can't name them until I get some sleep. I haven't been able to remember the one Row Jimmy that sounded amazing, but I heard it around the same time that I heard an amazing one with Brent but both were listened to online, thus the issue ultimately.
I think Jerry settled on Brent after a show at the Paramount in Portland in 1979. It was a Bob band and a Jerry band double header, Jerry had Donna and Maria Muldaur with John Kahn on bass, of course. Jerry refused to do an encore because Dead Heads were kinda, well, heckling him for not being as up-tempo as Bob's band was. Bob did Poison Ivy and Salt Lake City and was just awesome but Jerry wanted to play slow spacey tunes. Captain Trips eventually won the day with long slow building solos but it took awhile for the crowd to mellow, and Jerry was not pleased with their earlier shouted comments. Amazing show.
A tragedy that so many people's productive and awe-inspiring musical lives were ALLOWED to be ruined by the abuse of toxic chemicals. Doesn't anyone have the maturity to recognize the damage done? And couldn't there have been some mechanism, some recognition of the need to make adjustments in one's life to be free from such self-destructive tendencies? Some people are more vulnerable than others and are taken down faster, but nonetheless, are there band members who can reach out and say, "Let's get together and get some help," or some such? Keith was an astonishing piano player, and his contributions to the band, as mentioned, were foundational to the band's success in the mid-70's. Drugs ruined Jerry's playing, career, and life also. And I have no patience with those who rationalize his self-indulgent excesses. These guys could have reached unsearchable musical heights, but alas....
@@WhiteMountaingirl "It was their life to live, don't judge, just love" This is the selfishness, thoughtlessness, and destructive self-indulgence of the "hippie" era, an attitude I myself took part in, until I realized that one's actions affect the people around you -- your family, friends, associates, co-workers, and the society at large. You can influence someone else, just as someone commented that Keith Godchaux got Jerry started on heroin. I don't know how true that really is, but if it were true, getting Jerry Garcia addicted to heroin and harming his ability to play and eventually causing his untimely death ... are you saying was a good thing? I don't condemn them, but I don't have to "judge" them, because their thoughtless, foolish life-choices are manifest -- that is, it should be obvious they were destructive to themselves, the people around them, their careers, and their lives. Or do you seriously think their addictions were a good thing? The thing about that whole laissez-faire carefree hippie era was that it did not consider the Unintended Consequences, and it ended up damaging almost an entire generation and destroying a multitude of lives. "Just love" -- does that mean ignore the self-indulgence and excesses of the people you love? Just let them carry on and kill themselves, or waste their life on alcohol or drugs or some other vice without trying to help them? Same thing with Brent, another slave, in bondage to demon H.
I go back and forth between who my favorite dead key player is. Its either Brent or Keith for sure. I think both played so differently and really changed the sound its awesome how to dead evolved over the years.
Imagine if like Springsteen’s band you had Keith and Brent. One doing textures and organ and the other doing classic piano lines. It would also have taken a lot of pressure off Jerry to always be the lightening. C est la vie.
@@WeepTheGreed I have thought about things like that before and also thinking about what Keith would have sounded like on some of the later era songs.. tho some straight up wouldnt exist without brents touch. like Foolish Heart would not sound the same at all without the bright pianos
My first Dead show was University of Vermont 5/6/78 (easy date to remember). Next one was a week or two later in Providence, Rhode Island. 1978 was the year I moved to San Jose, California, so I think my next show was the Closing of Winterland. And then, of course, since I lived in San Jose my next show was Spartan Stadium - Brent's first show with the Dead. I'm sorry. Is this where I'm supposed to say which was better. I'd have to say Little Feat or Jethro Tull were both better, but I didn't go to Dead shows to see who was better.
"I am" (Weather Report Suite) & the sung word "PLAYIN/Yeahyeahhhhhhhhh" were major buzz kills at every show I attended. Sort of like a 'red light' in a rear view mirror
She sucked the entire time she was there. Shame as Keith was an awesome keyboard player. Why they added her is still a mystery to me to this day. Everyone tries to tell me she 'used to sing with Elvis'...and ask them WTF happened to her voice? I remember late in the 70's at the Keystone Palo Alto and Donna was blowin it on every song...AND the crowd started chanting DUMP DONNA DUMP DONNA. A month later both Keith and Donna were asked to hit the road. Thank god! #Donna Free Dead
A lot less heroin when those 2 were around. The late 60s and 70s GD were most creative. If anyone wants to dis vocals, you need to look at the rest of the band as well. They were NEVER noted for their vocals.
Jerry always played his best when accompanied with an Acoustic Piano or even an Electric Piano- I listen to those 1972-1975 Shows with Merl Saunders or Nicky Hopkins or Howard Wales and Wow.. Some of Jerry’s Best Playing ever I liked Keith’s playing on occasion but he was a bit too “rag-time” style of play for my liking and when he was off, he was really off I always wished that Brent Played more Acoustic Piano when the Band was playing Electric as he sounded great on those Reckoning Acoustic Album from 1980
When I saw the Dead in 72 I wasn’t aware of Keith and Donna. I liked Keith okay but I was wondering who was this hippie chick who sang flat. Keith became a a huge asset to the band over time and I even warmed up to Donna, but she didn’t raise the quality of the singing in that band.
I'm still baffled why they put up with her. She's probably a sweet lady but her singing was sub par for a band that was way above par.. Just sickens me when I here her sing now. Shame 'cause the 70's was a great era but she was always there to fuk up every time she opened her mouth
Everyone has their own opinion. My first show was in 1974 so this is my 50th year. I always thought that Donna was just enough off to really detract from the music. My favorite shows were with Brent. There would be times when him and Jerry would just connect and the jams would be incredible! Like I ssid, just one old head’s opinion.
@@WhiteMountaingirl yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Thank you for the video. Go check out my Dead Head Prison Art. I just did 3 years of prison, (went into psychosis and got arrested on purpose to change my life), and I listened to Dead shows all day and drew. One of my drawings was solely celebrating Keith. His playing is absolute joy to listen to. Him and Jerry’s playing captured from the Warner Theatre 78’ show is absolute top notch. Love in the Afternoon.
@@WhiteMountaingirl and thank you! Yes building my life back. Hoping to find talented musicians eventually and to create a really great jam band. And I want to join or start a farming/arts community. I’m still at the bottom of the Totem pole though… wish me luck good lady!
Keith was a passenger in a car driven by someone else. They slammed into the back of a parked construction truck at night. I live in Marin and am acquainted with people who remember when the accident occurred.
Brent was an ideal replacement for Keith, but I still feel a female singer, literally any good female singer or series thereof, perhaps with occasional guest stars at big shows, would have greatly enhanced the Dead's sound after Donna's departure.
BIG MISTAKE !....Bringing Brent on was when I lost Interest...Another Mistake was Letting Hart back in '76....He Dominated the Drums , Slam Banging on each song, Billy K. was a Much Better Drummer, Tight, Jazzy and Perfect for the Dead. I got on the ''Bus'' in 1969,,,These are just My Feelings and Observations after seeing the Dead for 30 Odd Years.
Hey now! Thank you so much for your perspective. This is what it's all about! And I do also preferability. But I know a lot of people that love mickey! And I do like Brent, although it did take the band on a slightly different direction, but it added on a whole new different group of deadheads. So that's okay with me it's all good! NFA 🔴⚡️🔵😁🙋🏼♀️✌️
I just can't see any era or members of the Dead as a mistake. Different eras, different contributions, all good in my humble opinion. I was partial to the Brent years as that's where I got on the bus and also feel it was their best era musically speaking.
fans of the music can instantly recognize the sound of the early music (with just Billy on drums).....it was a raw sound full of energy and promise. A sign of things to come !
I agree. Hart and Mydland are fine musicians, but Hart was one drummer too many and Mydland’s strong, distinctive voice to my ears tended to dominate the sound after years of listening to Garcia, Weir and Lesh do their best (lol) at the vocals. He was too good a singer. I didn’t care for the cocktail lounge sound of the electric piano. Just my personal preference
That’s because Brent played a Hammond b3 verse Keith’s rig was more piano Brent voice was much better than Donna jeans. She was off key about half the time.
Thank you for explaining this. I'm a dyed in the wool Dead Head from the Haight. I never knew this history. I had heard that Donna got mixed up with the wrong crowd after the Dead - fundamentalist christians - and wondered if that had something to do with it... "White mountain girl", I wonder if the same as Mountain Girl, who was Jerry's partner at one time. I think mother of his child. Don't think so. I saw her once, I think it was a New Year's show.
No problem, thanks for stopping by! White Mountain girl is just me, , I'm a girl that loves the Grateful Dead and I live in the White Mountains so there's my name White Mountain girl😁✌️🙋🏼♀️🔴⚡️👥️
wait a sec.......fundamentalist christian were the wrong crowd????.....I think not......we were all seakers in the 70's.......you could do alot worse, thinking of moonies here, the house of love freaks, ......I am NOT a fundamentalist, but they had solid doctrine and tried to live righteous....also have you even considered where donna- jeans head was at at the time?? She just lost her husband whom she loved, and had put out many fine shows, and was living when she could in a little apartment in petaluma......It is no wonder to me she turned to the bible.......I did....at the end of the '70's...the 1970's were the criziest time ever...ever...the 60's were too, but the 70's had thier own special brand of stupidity, mentality.....
I liked Brent he had more of a groove, I think Jerry thought so as well that's why he moved next to him on stage, before Brent Jerry was on the other side opposite Keith.
@marcbernicker206 very true, it's kinda funny cause they asked Donna n Keith to step away from the band because they were using too much Herzog. That herzog will bite ya in the booty every time. Unfortunately, Jerry didn't look at that as a warning. If he did Jerry would have lived alot longer.
I've always though that as Jerry got deeper into his habit -- especially in the early-to-mid-'80s -- and couldn't play nearly as well as he had prior to that, he looked to Brent to pick up the slack instrumentally during their shows.
They had a toxic relationship, Donna and Keith. Big explosive fights back stage. And Keith's drug use was bad. Their marriage couldn't handle Life on the road in a band. Not even the BEST band in the land!✌️🙋🏼♀️🔵⚡️🔴
@@WhiteMountaingirl I remember hearing a story about Donna trying to run Keith over with a car and empty liquor bottles being thrown at one another. I think I heard Keith tried setting her hair on fire while she was sleeping once. I heard they once trashed a hotel room so badly during a fight that both the band and the management physically forced them out of the building and they had to sleep in the tour bus in freezing temperatures. One or both of them then tore up some seats and a piece of luggage with a knife. It turned out the next day that Keith had a significant concussion from being beaten over the head repeatedly with a lamp, and Donna had so many bruises on her face that they had to hire a medically trained make-up artist to make her presentable for the concert that evening. The band was on eggshells while performing during that last tour as they were worried something would break out between them on stage. They couldn't fire them during the tour due to contractual entanglements, but they were still reaching out to local talent agencies in every city to have a piano player on stand-by just in case. They would have fired them way sooner, but they just couldn't bring themselves to the unpleasant moment of doing so. It turns out the Godchaux's actually wanted to leave as they blamed the band for all of their marital troubles and thought the music was uninspired and tedious to perform.
Not always is right. She sounded off key a lot and that screeching during playin in the band scared cats for miles around. Keith was always on. He may not have had the energy level the rest of the band did, but he knew how to play. Donna was questionable.
What? Donna was below average at best. No consistency whatsoever. She had issues for sure and it reflected in every note she sang. I was there up front the entire decade. By 70 crowds were starting to turn on her. Dump Donna was a typical chant at clubs with JGB
Keith had some great moments with The Dead, but generally in the performances he was just kind of "there". If he had been replaced sooner, they might have been even stronger in the late 70's.
That was the decision that turned the Dead into a tribute band that did nothing but covers of Grateful Dead songs. The more Brent added his influences, the worse they got.
The answer is, because of Donna and Keith's relationship failing, and their explosive and violent arguments on tour. Also, because of Keith's drug use. I hope this helped to answer any questions that you could have had? There is also lots of other things out there about it. Way too much to put on but this little video. But good is pretty much the gist of what happened as far as I can figure, from talking to dead family who actually remember when it was all going on. Thanks for stopping by. ✌️😁🙋🏼♀️🔵⚡️🔴
People are going to like what they like. But I didn't care for Keith's jazzy piano riffs, and about Donna, the less said the better. Brent Mydland contributed more to the sound than both Godchaux's. For sheer musicianship, the 80's were unmatched. And to really catch the energy at its peak, you hadda be a Grateful Dead freak -- those of us who were on the bus before the Deadhead name was coined.
Man, I knew two ladies from Allegheny College (Hey Al and MS ~ how's things?) that just never seemed to be able to even tolerate Donna. I always figured if she was good enough for Jerry, maybe I should just try shutting up and listening, ya know?.
I respect everyones opinion and many have their favorite era of the Dead, but I couldn't disagree more with the above statement relating to Keith's contributions, or lack there of to the band. My era is 72/74, and Keith during this period was just flat out phenomenal. You listen to the Dark Stars and Bird Songs or PITB or virtually any of the extended jams during this time period and what Keith is doing is absolutely extraordinary, as was the entire band. It can't be overlooked how seamlessly Keith blended his playing with Garcia and he had a natural gift and instinct that enabled him to bring a completely fresh and original approach. But I could go on and on about this when anyone with any doubts should go have a listen to any Dark Star or Bird Song or any long jam from 72/74 (lostmydayjob on TH-cam has some terrific compilations).
I like the music of the 70s with Donna’s vocals. But Brent s vocals are more dynamic and crowd motivating. Brent could probably play as Kieth did, but Keith couldn’t have added to the group with the impact. Brent did
Understood.. Brent was in the front line, whereas Keith was in more of a supportive role, and took a load off Bob and Jerry, especially as Jerry's voice deteriorated. The Hammond B3 was a great changeup in the band's sound.
The band went downhill fast when they brought in Brent Mydland and his rinky dink sounding electronic keyboard that he bought on sale at Toys-R-Us for $39.95. And if you think Donna’s voice was bad, Brent’s singing was awful. I guess if you like the sound of a high-pitched strained gravelly voice that doesn’t blend with any of the other singers, then Brent was your guy. As for me, I’ll take Keith and Donna any day of the week.
Only saw the dead once during the Wall of Sound tour era. They had Keith and Donna and Keith's piano drowned out the mix. Jerry's guitar was inaudible. Yes, inaudible. I had such high hopes and the sound just plain sucked. The song sequencing through the show was bad as well.
I could never enjoy Donna with the Dead live. I got on the bus in 1985 so I have always loved Brent with them over all others. I will say though that when I saw Bruce Hornsby play with them in 1991, I was hoping g he would stick around. Not a fan of Vince. None of that mattered to me when Jerry passed. Without him, there is no GD.
![[TH] Esports World Cup : Knockout Stage Day 1](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ES-vr-FarFg/mqdefault.jpg)
Brilliant how the reading pace of the captions are slowed down so even dead heads can keep up.
Hope it was slow enough for you😊
@@WhiteMountaingirl lol ! it was perfect !
@@letupandridemarkdangelo170 excellent!🤣🤣🤣
Donna was actually one of the three backup singers on Elvis Presley’s “Suspicious Minds “. I appreciate more and more what Keith brought to the sound.
Very cool info, thank you!🙋🏼♀️🔴⚡️🔵✌️
Also Carole King
I've heard that too. WTF happened to her voice? For me she ruined alot of the 70's dead shows with her off key wailing and her annoying dueting with bobby
Also on Percy Sledge's classic 'When a Man Loves a Woman'
Really enjoyed reading this to music, and the photos - thank you so much for taking the time to put this together ✌🏼
Hey now! I really appreciate your comment, I know we all want to keep the inspiration shining forever, so I am so pleased to be able to share the things I know, and learn about our boys! Thanks for stopping bye, NFA 🙋🏼♀️✌️😁😁😁🔴⚡️🔵💫
Nice work. Enjoy all of what your putting on here ty
Thank you so much! Thank you for stopping by. 🙋🏼♀️😁😁😁🔴⚡️🔵✌️
Excellent. Thank you.👍😎
You're so welcome!🔵⚡️🔴😁✌️
he was my favorite keys player of them all ..enormous talent
The most talented band EVER! NFA 🔴⚡️🔵😁✌️
He was their Wakeman
He was their Tommy Flanagan.. sheer beauty and exquisite taste on the grand piano, and great touch on the Fender Rhodes
Mine, too.
wow did not realize keith was younger than bob .. and joined when he was just 23 .. his playing was superb
Indeed!😊🙋🏼♀️
Donna and Keith still sound better than anything released today! Would love go experience that line up of the Dead again!
Absolutely true words. I too wish that it was back in the middle of it all and we could be there!
K & D !!! They were a great part of the Music for a long time... No one has ever played US Blues on keyboards as smoking as Keith did....Mars Hotel is epic. Great Version....
Keith was AWESOME!!🔴⚡️🔵😁🙋🏼♀️✌️
Love the Mars Hotel album cover art. Especially K & D on the back. The band watching tv. Donna looked like a Madonna holding her baby.
@@LucyLennon20 one of my all-time favorite albums
Keith and Donna has been a favorite album of mine since I bought it when it was released.
Heart of Gold band
@@LucyLennon20 This was before Heart of Gold Band. It was released in 75 and Jerry played guitar. It came out around the same time as Tiger Rose by Robert Hunter.
@@charlesandrews2360
do you mean their album with the baby on the cover?
@@LucyLennon20 Yes. I don't know if they were calling themselves Heart of Gold band at that time. I thought of it more as a side project while the dead were in hiatus. I know nothing about the heart of gold band other than "everybody's playing" in it.
@@charlesandrews2360like you said the baby album was a side-proj. I read Jerry played on all tracks. That baby is Zion Godchaux born in 1974.
The Heart of Gold Band formed after they left GD in late '79. Tragically Keith died in a car crash in 1980🥀
My favorite period in the dead, especially the single drummer era. Billy didn't need any help lol.
Billy is AWESOME!! 😁🙋🏼♀️✌️🔵⚡️🔴
It was wrong to take Mickey back to the band in 1975, he was not needed at all. With just Billy the band was much tighter!
@@ilkkaensio9346 👍✌️🔵⚡️🔴
@@ilkkaensio9346 when i was restarting my relationship with the dead last winter I came across the Winterland 74 version of Scarlet and I just stood there with my mouth open and watched it three times at least, probably twenty times in the next month. I realized that I was seeing the lineup for my favorite recordings for the first time. I've come to appreciate Mickey but Bill was absolutely incandescent between Skull and Mars. It's actually pretty hard to find information about exactly which albums MH was on, but I think it's fair to say that Bill exceeded a lot of expectations when he didn't have to accommodate him.
I agree the Billy years were absolutely amazing. But I wouldn't trade what Mickey brought to the mix with the transcendent power of drums/space and his percussive contributions.
It's a shame that Keith succumbed to that hard drugs and alcohol trap so many musicians fall into once they achieve some success. He was obviously very talented and clearly helped the Dead to reach new musical heights, at least early on.
Absolutely, and it was sad indeed! ✌️😁🔵⚡️🔴🙋🏼♀️
Doesn’t require success, it is one of the hazards of the job at any level.
You just can afford more, and more is available to you.
@@Oldcrow77But there isn't a bowl of Cocaine in the break room at my job.
So I'm definitely saving myself for the weekend
@@wiseoldfool101 Confucius say
“ A wise man is just an old fool with a good memory “
Exactly
I love reading. Slowly. Very slowly.
🤣🤣🤣✌️🙋🏼♀️
Oh honey let me sent your blues away🎹
Keith on keys was my favorite dead era (~);}
🔴⚡️🔵🙋🏼♀️✌️
Great to hear a live version of take my bues away. thx.
Hey now!
Thanks for saying hi 😊
✌️🔵⚡️🔴
Absolutely. Rare gem
The big reason that Donna had issues on stage was the primitive monitor systems of the time. Due to the volume, she often couldn't hear other voices, or herself. Staying on key was difficult.
That makes sense. ✌️😁🔵⚡️🔴
They all had this issue but Donna sounded bad way more often than the others.
She wasn’t a great singer.
Not sure why Deadheads can’t hear this on so many recordings. There are so many unlistenable shows because of this.
Brent was a huge improvement.
@cedarbay3994 it's because we are all blindly loyal! But to me she wasn't part of the core band. I never liked her singing. And I know they all had sound problems but they all sounded 1,000% better than her. But again, I am grateful for all the music they put out, even with her singing!
I’m not buying. That’s like the bad carpenter blaming his tools. The Grateful Dead were way ahead of everyone else when it came to live concert sound production.
@@unassistedsuicide2243 👍😊✌️
The Grateful Dead were at their best with Keith & Donna as vital members of the band. That was the time when I was an active DeadHead, I went to 153 shows during that time and they were the best times for the band.
That's awesome! And they were all wonderful!! I am very grateful you stopped by! 🔴⚡️🔵🙋🏼♀️😁✌️
that was their peak....the 1970's, Donna jean, $10 shows at dylan stadium, before the coke!!
I bet it was amazing! ✌️😊🔵⚡️🔴
Dillon Stadium @@johniorio7951
I just started diving into their real catalogue in early 2023 and I agree with you, with some grumpy caveats. I actually dislike Donna's vocal style personally, much as I really dislike brent's keyboard playing, but those years were without a doubt the most consistent and exciting for the band as a whole. I also really just like Keith's work. The 80's and 90's had a lot of very high highs musically but a lot of real slogs too. Just what I've observed.
Keith was enamored with the grand piano which provided the perfect twinkling of the keys. It was a bear to move from show to show and tune. I’m happy the Crew was accommodating ❤. Wall of Sound had its own array for Keith’s piano🎉
Truly awesome!
... also, Keith Godchaux was a dead head and knew all the songs.
Hey now!
Right on Lucy🔴⚡️🔵🙋🏼♀️✌️💫💜
Yeah that helps. And they were a package deal and Donna has a great voice that complimented Bobby or whoever. I wish I could have seen them with the godchaux’s
@@judd0112Donna Jean was a popular backup singer. During the late 60's she sang on a number of Elvis Presley recordings; including Suspicious Minds and In the Ghetto.
That's awesome info! 😁✌️🙋🏼♀️
They were both also important members of the JGB from 75 to 79 and seriously crushed the Pirates Ball ✌️❤️⚡️🐢
NFA 🔵⚡️🔴✌️
I never realized that Keith sang back-up with JGB until I came across this: th-cam.com/video/l9coXN0TR2Q/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=Wolfgang%27sGratefulDead
Muchluv!✌🏼❤️
NFA 💜😊✌️🙋🏼♀️🔴⚡️🔵
Hey now it's my 50th Anniversary as a deadhead! Saw my first show Nassau Coliseum spring 73 at age 16. So I experienced many shows during Keith and Donna's era. For me personally that line-up was their golden era, esp w/the wall of sound. As they morphed into the Brent years i was still there. Post Brent into the Wince Velnick period i was still there. Post Jerry into Further i was there. Post Further ino Dead and Co. i retired. However post-retirement im digging Bob and the Wolf Brothers/Pack, and Phil and friends and family.
Let the words be yours I'm done with mine
Thanks for sharing. I was a bit later than you. First show 1980 & then all the way through to the present. I loved all eras of the Dead, wish I could have seen Pig in his prime. Post Jerry years have been tough but I hopped on the DeadCo bus and it was a sweet ride. They played the music at a high level and I simply wasn't done. It allowed me to come full circle and inner peace with the experience. Bob & wolf bros is great! NFA ⚡️💀🥀
Hey now!
Thank you so much for stopping by!
Never Fade Away!
🎶🔵⚡️🔴🙋🏼♀️✌️😁
Ha.......my 50th anniversary as well....saw the Dead in Boston that year (or was it 74?....some of my younger brain cells are floating around the universe like Jerry's notes). My favorite Dead years: 1974 and 1977 (Sprig tour).
@michaelklein8617 awesome!!
Yup, i was there, same age as well!
My first encounter with the🥳❤️the Dead was for me an opening to the real world. In 74 I graduated college @OSU. I said Now God show me the real world! From my first show in Portland OR my journey of discovery led me to the World's Fair in Spokane WA where we proved we could live without police & laws on 35 acres near town. I planted the first gardens including a 7 pointed star (from The Lost Universe a book about the Pawnee Nation) of pot seeds I had saved from 4 years of smoking the sacred plant that gives, according to the Bible, victory over death & peace that passeth understanding, but this quote was only in Bibles written before 1600. Isaiah 42:3
"There comes the Son of Man so gentle, He Will not harm the broken reed nor quench the smoking of hemp till He bring Peace upon the Earth & death is swallowed up in Victory"
Amen! NFA ✌️🙋🏼♀️🔴⚡️🔵🎶
The Dead played at Corvallis in 69 or 70 with the wall of sound. I was there, having lived on and off the streets of Eugene for 2 years. By the way, that quote from the Bible is not at all about weed,, but about Jesus Christ bearing with the poverty stricken and not cutting off those who have a little faith to be saved😮
I saw their last show with the Dead 2-14-1979 in Oakland, and it's a fine show, although Keith and Donna were pretty shakey. It was a Save the Whales benefit and "Fun with Dick and Jane" was shown before the concert. Jane Fonda gave a little speech while Dead Heads were freaking the f. out because everyone was tripping balls at this point and we just wanted the movie to be over and the music to start. Wonderful Terrapin into Playing in the Band.
Hahaha!! Sounds AWESOME!!
Thanks for sharing! 🔵⚡️🔴😊✌️🙋🏼♀️
I was at their first show without them at sheas Buffalo theater in Buffalo n.y. it was strange but good. Sheas was saved from the wrecking ball by ambitious old men. To bad they are not around to see sheas fully restored.
There was such sadness in Donna and Keith, the band entered the 80s with glee🎉
🥳🥳🥳🥳
To each his own. I find that I rarely listen to anything from the Brett Mydland years - which is a long chunk of time. I fell like the band lost a lotta soul when K and D left. It's all good.
@@backbay2242 Same here. I listen to the Grateful Dead channel on Sirious XM throughout the day while I am driving for my job. With rare exceptions, anytime anything from the 1980s comes on I switch to another channel. It's hard to tolerate Brent's singing and use of the B3; and the sloppy, inarticulate, mushy sound of the whole band during the '80s. Much prefer the Dead sound of the '60s and '70s, and even the '90s with Hornsby.
I concur wholeheartedly. Didn't care for Brett's vocals or his keyboard keyboard sound. Sounded like he was playing a glockenspiel. @@lisica8458
Couldnt agree more with your statement. years of putting up with their antics on and off stage.#Donna Free Dead
The K and D years were the best years of GD.
NFA✌️🔵⚡️🔴🎶
Absolutely
not! Donna sucked but Keith was amazing. Theyre drinking, partying, drugs and fighting was too much and the band cut them loose.
Keith was the perfect player first few years, but the 70s was an excess freight train, "too much of everything was just enough"
Indeed! 🙋🏼♀️✌️😁🔴⚡️🔵
Sounds like I'm hearing Martin Fiero on the last 2 versions of "Simg Yr Blues Away"
and I seem to have vague memories seeing Keith+Donna playing w/ JGB for a while
doing a different flavor of repertoire than he did w/ Merle, Legion of Mary, Howard Wales:
Catfish John, They Love Each Other, Simple Melody in C(?), etc
maybe you can help an ancient crone's failing memory on this subject
Compliments on many apt phrasings in the informative text. Well done!
Shouldn't you cite the source of information? Are these pages from a book?
Garcia said the best version of the band was the Brent Midland period.
Because they carried him through the show while he was standing in a trance with his head down. But I believe jerry played ferociously when he was in that h zone.
the fat man rocks
trouble ahead, Jerry in red
I love it all!😁✌️🙋🏼♀️🔴⚡️🔵
There's no one like Jerry. 🔵⚡️🔴✌️
Where did you hear/read that?
@lisica8458 I'm 67 and a life long dead head. Somewhere in the last 20 years. My dementia prevents me from remembering the exact article and when.
Keith was an absolute beast of a player. No question the band was at its best in the early 70s with KG and Pigpen.
✌️🔴⚡️🔵
Asking them to leave was the best decision they ever made. Donna was good in the studio, but let's face it, she sucked live. Some recordings are literally unlistenable it's so bad. I don't buy the "she couldn't hear the monitors" excuse - everyone else could hear them fine except her? The band was great during that era, but her vocals ruined a lot of incredible performances.
Agreed✌️
Yessss!!!!!! She SUCKED!!!!!!!
HOT take my guy but hey, have your opinion
my favorite version of the dead...the donna and keith years....first time I spotted this magnifiscent older hippie mama...., she walked onto that high stage at dylan stadium her hair was the longest I had ever seen, long raven tresses that swayed in time to sugaree...mind- blowing, man!.....not sure whta you meant by "hearing the monitors"...ok, a few times she was stoned bad and sang bad, but the grateful dead were never better than with a female voice. same with the airplane!!...years later, i was blessed to see her with dark star orchestra..around new york...her interpretation of the dead catalog brought a breath of fresh air to a stagnant period of rock....by the way, jimi hendrix and dylan were not the best singers, but take it all in context man, I think your "unlistenable" appraisal deserves a re- appraisal!!
its the same excuse she used every time she was asked. BULLSHIT. She had plenty of time to adapt. I mean they did a zillion shows and in the end she still sucked. Sorry just my opinion but I saw alot of 70's shows and she never impressed me once. To this day I can hardly stomach any of the songs she sings on
Keith was great,his ole lady was a screacher..ow my ears!
Hahaha, yep
I got on the bus in 1980 and never really got into Keith. It's just my opinion and I respect Keith& Donna but change was needed in 1979.
Right on! ✌️😁🔵⚡️🔴
A very *_nice_* and refreshingly accurate little "historic compilation", WMg, with some critical technical specs... TOO!!!👌
Thus well noted that, _"at concerts from 1972-1974, Godchaux's rented pianos were outfitted with a state-of-the-art pickup system designed by Carl Countryman. According to sound engineer Owsley Stanley (😘) the Countryman pickup worked by an electrostatic principle similar to the way a condenser mic works....."_ 👍 *Tragically* for Keith, though all to common, "When you're too stoned to grow, you sadly gotta go." 😵💫 🙏 ☮
*OH....PS...* The selected soundtracks to exemplify the text were particularly "descriptive" = Ramble On Rose..... 😎
Hey now!! Thanks for stopping by and I really appreciate you commenting!
A band beyond description! Thank you for that info, I love to learn all I can, about my lifelong obsession 😁🙋🏼♀️👍✌️🔵⚡️🔴
Indeed sizzda.... Too many wonderful Live GD events to even begin to count!!! 🤣
The early "going till dawn" parties at the old Fillmore West and later at Winterland are some of the most cherished experiences, *_and memories,_* in my life.... with whom IMHO are THE Happiest and Most "Soulful Sound" ever to 'emerge' in the entire rock era. 😋
Over 50 years later, *STILL **_Joyously Rockin,_* even now with a touch of grey!!! th-cam.com/video/mzvk0fWtCs0/w-d-xo.html 🥰
@@elmagodelmaryahoo life-changing, life-affirming music and lyrics, they have come to me in some very dark times and lifted me out into the light. I know you know exactly what I mean. That's what makes us the Grateful Dead family.
I'm so glad that you're still here and you're still listening! We always will be.✌️😁🔵⚡️🔴🎶💫
Followed the dead from my first Filmore East show. In my mind Keith and Donna were the best the Dead ever had.
Aww that's awesome!
Never Fade away!!
🙋🏼♀️✌️😊🔴⚡️🔵
Brent wasn't too shabby, either
Agree. Keith's acoustic piano sound was beautiful and fitted in so well. He was so talented.
I guess, now that I think about it, that tapes of certain Keith n Donna era shows were always my preferred post-show listen especially as the night turned into day and my closed eyes were filled with colors and I couldn't wait until the next show no matter the year or experience.
Thanks for putting this out there. Didn't know about the substace abuse, but not surprised. I found Donna' vocals overbearing, especially in certain points, like at the end of the instrumental section in "Playing In The Band." And The Dead were fine without them - or maybe just her. But anyway ...
If you ever can, please correct the misspelling of "compliment" - should be "complement." It's a common enough mistake. At least you were consistent, each of the three instances. 😉
Keep on keepin' on!
😁haha, thank you! And at least I'm consistent 🙋🏼♀️😁✌️
@@WhiteMountaingirl Yep. A lot of people might not notice because of that. 😁 That's what I get for being an unreformed former editor. 🙄
Peace ✌
@@journeybear 😁🙋🏼♀️✌️. A teacher? That's fabulous!
@@WhiteMountaingirl Hmmm? No, editor. But yeah, my eyes and mind just light on speeling and grammer errers. 😉
Funny I thought Donna’s job was to sing out of tune and out of time with the rest of the band. Forget a Dolby Filter on a stereo, I always thought they should come with a Donna filter! Keith was awesome.
🤣🤣🤣✌️👍🙋🏼♀️🔵⚡️🔴🎶
I can’t remember the exact show, but the band was doing a super slow. Super sweet intro to Saint Stephen. From this intro, you knew it was going to be epic.
However
As the vocals were starting … Donna came in one beat too early! It was a shrieking, rude noise that she made. Eargasm interruptus.
😵💫🤣✌️🔴⚡️🔵
Oh shit, a singer in the Grateful Dead at a live show made a MISTAKE, and their name wasn't Bob, Jerry, or Phil?? YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING!! Sue John Scher for your ticket money back, with interest!!!
I never understood the Keith/Donna hate. She was a very good singer who was sometimes mixed way too high, and their monitor setup during their time in the band was iffy at best.
Keith was a solid contributor through 1977. After '77, Jerry became unimpressed of Keith echoing whatever he was doing.
The problems with Keith and Donna (arguments, drugs, alcohol) really turned the band off, and Weir had been playing with Brent Mydland in Bobby and the Midnites throughout '78 without major issues.
But Jerry, Bob and Phil had been pitchy from the beginning. None had perfect pitch.
I full understand where they are coming from...dont agree.......the dead never sounded better than back then....well hoffmayer.....we all remember those stereo nerds who had to have the phillips and the pioneer shit....the same ones whowould ruin your buzz by talkin about amps, and condenser mics once you had a nice righteous buzz a-going.....I sure do, they were a bunch of spoiled rich preppies I went to taft with...loved donna....she had a southern background, and had already sang with the soul in muscle shoal......funniest thing tho, the stereo nerds had the best pot ever! Hahahahaha..those were some strange times!
Hahaha, strange and amazing!
Thank you for sharing! 🙋🏼♀️✌️😊🔴⚡️🔵😁
And we've loved them all these years, regardless! NFA 😁🔵⚡️🔴😊✌️
I can't stand when whoever their keyboard player was echoed Jerry. Though it's funny you're saying that of Keith. I feel like that was more of a Brent thing.
@@doublek321no, Keith "slaved" Jerry towards the end. 1978 isn't all bad, but listen closely and Keith isn't anywhere near 71-74/75 or 76-early 77 with inspiration. Except for 83-86 extreme spotty moments and lack of interest by Jerry and Phil at times, Brent grew more and more confident and the whole dynamic was great. My complaint of even the 89-90 GD was that the long stretched out tunes became shorter even if some shows were segued perfectly some shows during the 2nd set. I don't remember the year, but a few days ago I was listening to a Playin' that maxed out at roughly 9 minutes. Brent's final 3 night run saw a 2nd set on night one where if there was a pause it was after Fire and before the next tune (PITB????). An amazing end to a great musician.
Donna is singing so flat on that first song-just brutal.
For sure, never was a fan
i liked Keith, but LOVED Brent's keyboard ! Seeing Donna at Cornell in 77 had me wondering what on earth they were thinking with her on stage.....No offense to Donna..
100%!
you and me both. pathetic from day 1. no focus..off key...wailing at the wrong times...just embarrasing to listen to honestly
There were times when she really sounded good, at least on the tapes, releases, and stuff picked for play on GD Hour and on Sirius. The mellower, slower tunes were where she shined best and either in a quieter harmony or more subdued backing or even times kept singing even if Jerry stopped. I can think of Row Jimmy, Looks Like Rain, JGB stuff, other GD tunes though I can't name them until I get some sleep. I haven't been able to remember the one Row Jimmy that sounded amazing, but I heard it around the same time that I heard an amazing one with Brent but both were listened to online, thus the issue ultimately.
I saw their last gig in Oakland then Brent's first gig at Spartan stadium.
Hey now!
And what did you think of the change? And was the first show as naturally flowing as it became?
I think Jerry settled on Brent after a show at the Paramount in Portland in 1979. It was a Bob band and a Jerry band double header, Jerry had Donna and Maria Muldaur with John Kahn on bass, of course. Jerry refused to do an encore because Dead Heads were kinda, well, heckling him for not being as up-tempo as Bob's band was. Bob did Poison Ivy and Salt Lake City and was just awesome but Jerry wanted to play slow spacey tunes. Captain Trips eventually won the day with long slow building solos but it took awhile for the crowd to mellow, and Jerry was not pleased with their earlier shouted comments. Amazing show.
See my comment below if you want.@@WhiteMountaingirl
A tragedy that so many people's productive and awe-inspiring musical lives were ALLOWED to be ruined by the abuse of toxic chemicals. Doesn't anyone have the maturity to recognize the damage done? And couldn't there have been some mechanism, some recognition of the need to make adjustments in one's life to be free from such self-destructive tendencies? Some people are more vulnerable than others and are taken down faster, but nonetheless, are there band members who can reach out and say, "Let's get together and get some help," or some such? Keith was an astonishing piano player, and his contributions to the band, as mentioned, were foundational to the band's success in the mid-70's. Drugs ruined Jerry's playing, career, and life also. And I have no patience with those who rationalize his self-indulgent excesses. These guys could have reached unsearchable musical heights, but alas....
It was their life to live, don't judge, just love
@@WhiteMountaingirl "It was their life to live, don't judge, just love"
This is the selfishness, thoughtlessness, and destructive self-indulgence of the "hippie" era, an attitude I myself took part in, until I realized that one's actions affect the people around you -- your family, friends, associates, co-workers, and the society at large. You can influence someone else, just as someone commented that Keith Godchaux got Jerry started on heroin. I don't know how true that really is, but if it were true, getting Jerry Garcia addicted to heroin and harming his ability to play and eventually causing his untimely death ... are you saying was a good thing? I don't condemn them, but I don't have to "judge" them, because their thoughtless, foolish life-choices are manifest -- that is, it should be obvious they were destructive to themselves, the people around them, their careers, and their lives. Or do you seriously think their addictions were a good thing? The thing about that whole laissez-faire carefree hippie era was that it did not consider the Unintended Consequences, and it ended up damaging almost an entire generation and destroying a multitude of lives. "Just love" -- does that mean ignore the self-indulgence and excesses of the people you love? Just let them carry on and kill themselves, or waste their life on alcohol or drugs or some other vice without trying to help them? Same thing with Brent, another slave, in bondage to demon H.
All I'm saying is, it is what it is.
We can't go back in time.
Love them for what they gave us,
the most beautiful music in the land. Peace.
I go back and forth between who my favorite dead key player is. Its either Brent or Keith for sure. I think both played so differently and really changed the sound its awesome how to dead evolved over the years.
Truth!
I love every version, of every song, ever preformed by the Dead.
Imagine if like Springsteen’s band you had Keith and Brent. One doing textures and organ and the other doing classic piano lines. It would also have taken a lot of pressure off Jerry to always be the lightening. C est la vie.
@@WhiteMountaingirl i agree 99% but if u did hard there are a few flops haha
@@WeepTheGreed I have thought about things like that before and also thinking about what Keith would have sounded like on some of the later era songs.. tho some straight up wouldnt exist without brents touch. like Foolish Heart would not sound the same at all without the bright pianos
True that
My first Dead show was University of Vermont 5/6/78 (easy date to remember). Next one was a week or two later in Providence, Rhode Island. 1978 was the year I moved to San Jose, California, so I think my next show was the Closing of Winterland. And then, of course, since I lived in San Jose my next show was Spartan Stadium - Brent's first show with the Dead. I'm sorry. Is this where I'm supposed to say which was better. I'd have to say Little Feat or Jethro Tull were both better, but I didn't go to Dead shows to see who was better.
That's awesome! Thanks for sharing and stopping by! NFA👍🔴⚡️🔵✌️😁🙋🏼♀️
"I am" (Weather Report Suite) & the sung word "PLAYIN/Yeahyeahhhhhhhhh" were major buzz kills at every show I attended. Sort of like a 'red light' in a rear view mirror
Hahaha, oh no!
Wish you weren't there then
Agreed, never much cared for the ‘Tarzan howls’ on playin’ ….. they did a lot of great stuff together, even some of the bands best work?
She sucked the entire time she was there. Shame as Keith was an awesome keyboard player. Why they added her is still a mystery to me to this day. Everyone tries to tell me she 'used to sing with Elvis'...and ask them WTF happened to her voice? I remember late in the 70's at the Keystone Palo Alto and Donna was blowin it on every song...AND the crowd started chanting DUMP DONNA DUMP DONNA. A month later both Keith and Donna were asked to hit the road. Thank god! #Donna Free Dead
When the band was at their absolute best, Donna was squealin’ and squallin’ every ounce of goodness out of the music.
Haha, agreed
😊
A lot less heroin when those 2 were around. The late 60s and 70s GD were most creative.
If anyone wants to dis vocals, you need to look at the rest of the band as well. They were NEVER noted for their vocals.
I think that's because they all liked nose candy at the time.
The music, ALL beautiful! NFA 🔴⚡️🔵👍🙋🏼♀️✌️😁🎶
Jerry always played his best when accompanied with an Acoustic Piano or even an Electric Piano- I listen to those 1972-1975 Shows with Merl Saunders or Nicky Hopkins or Howard Wales and Wow.. Some of Jerry’s Best Playing ever
I liked Keith’s playing on occasion but he was a bit too “rag-time” style of play for my liking and when he was off, he was really off
I always wished that Brent Played more Acoustic Piano when the Band was playing Electric as he sounded great on those Reckoning Acoustic Album from 1980
Hey now! Thanks for stopping by!
And I agree! NFA 🔴⚡️🔵✌️😁
Yaya
What book did you get this from? The song is Let Me Sing Your Blues Away....lol
You're so right!!
Thanks for stopping that strangling cat.
Richmond VA 77 by far top 10 GD show.
The one song Keith sang was a good choice for this. One of the tunes with more chord changes than most.
Great info, thank you!🔴⚡️🔵🙋🏼♀️✌️
When I saw the Dead in 72 I wasn’t aware of Keith and Donna. I liked Keith okay but I was wondering who was this hippie chick who sang flat. Keith became a a huge asset to the band over time and I even warmed up to Donna, but she didn’t raise the quality of the singing in that band.
That's my opinion as well! Thanks for stopping by! NFA ✌️😁🔵⚡️🔴🙋🏼♀️
and Brent was SO MUCH BETTER AT BOTH JOBS
100%!
Brent was the very best ever ! Nobody can tell me different so don’t even try to!
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Best move they ever made. Donna ruined every note she ever sang.
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I'm still baffled why they put up with her. She's probably a sweet lady but her singing was sub par for a band that was way above par.. Just sickens me when I here her sing now. Shame 'cause the 70's was a great era but she was always there to fuk up every time she opened her mouth
In the end the Boys we’re ready to move on
They were glad to leave them
Right it was mutual ✌️😊🔴⚡️🔵
Everyone has their own opinion. My first show was in 1974 so this is my 50th year. I always thought that Donna was just enough off to really detract from the music. My favorite shows were with Brent. There would be times when him and Jerry would just connect and the jams would be incredible! Like I ssid, just one old head’s opinion.
Thank you for stopping by!🔵⚡️🔴✌️🙋🏼♀️😁
I really liked Keiths playing in their live shows but I never thought Donna was a good fit. Decent voice but her presense seemed somewhat contrived
Indeed!
So what was the reason? Sorry, I fell asleep while reading.
Hahaha, Drugs and violent fights on the road
Those two contributed to the band more than anyone but Jerry. Mistake to let them go. Maybe there were other reasons concerning personalities.
I love Kieth… I love Donna too.
I love the whole family! NFA ✌️😁🔵⚡️🔴🙋🏼♀️
@@WhiteMountaingirl yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Thank you for the video. Go check out my Dead Head Prison Art. I just did 3 years of prison, (went into psychosis and got arrested on purpose to change my life), and I listened to Dead shows all day and drew. One of my drawings was solely celebrating Keith.
His playing is absolute joy to listen to. Him and Jerry’s playing captured from the Warner Theatre 78’ show is absolute top notch. Love in the Afternoon.
@GordonFalt Hey now! Amazing story.
I hope you were successful!!
I would. like to see your Art, how do I see it? Thanks for stopping by! ✌️🙋🏼♀️😁🔴⚡️🔵
@@WhiteMountaingirl and thank you! Yes building my life back. Hoping to find talented musicians eventually and to create a really great jam band. And I want to join or start a farming/arts community. I’m still at the bottom of the Totem pole though… wish me luck good lady!
@@GordonFalt I wish you unlimited luck! ✌️😁
Way too slow changing the cards.
Takes some people longer to read, at least you have great music to listen to while you wait! 😁🙋🏼♀️✌️
I saw the Dead during that period. I thought Donna was pretty bad.
😁👍✌️
I can name that pianist in one word, "Tinkle"*.
He got drunk + ran off the dead man’s curve from the mountain which to me was suicidal as hell ! He + wife were not getting along !
Keith was a passenger in a car driven by someone else. They slammed into the back of a parked construction truck at night. I live in Marin and am acquainted with people who remember when the accident occurred.
Keith was to far gone . Winterland 1978 he was nodded out on the piano . He was dope sick and it was sad to see
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Brent was an ideal replacement for Keith, but I still feel a female singer, literally any good female singer or series thereof, perhaps with occasional guest stars at big shows, would have greatly enhanced the Dead's sound after Donna's departure.
BIG MISTAKE !....Bringing Brent on was when I lost Interest...Another Mistake was Letting Hart back in '76....He Dominated the Drums , Slam Banging on each song, Billy K. was a Much Better Drummer, Tight, Jazzy and Perfect for the Dead. I got on the ''Bus'' in 1969,,,These are just My Feelings and Observations after seeing the Dead for 30 Odd Years.
Hey now!
Thank you so much for your perspective. This is what it's all about! And I do also preferability. But I know a lot of people that love mickey! And I do like Brent, although it did take the band on a slightly different direction, but it added on a whole new different group of deadheads. So that's okay with me it's all good! NFA 🔴⚡️🔵😁🙋🏼♀️✌️
I just can't see any era or members of the Dead as a mistake. Different eras, different contributions, all good in my humble opinion. I was partial to the Brent years as that's where I got on the bus and also feel it was their best era musically speaking.
fans of the music can instantly recognize the sound of the early music (with just Billy on drums).....it was a raw sound full of energy and promise. A sign of things to come !
@michaelklein8617 a sign of greatness
I agree. Hart and Mydland are fine musicians, but Hart was one drummer too many and Mydland’s strong, distinctive voice to my ears tended to dominate the sound after years of listening to Garcia, Weir and Lesh do their best (lol) at the vocals. He was too good a singer. I didn’t care for the cocktail lounge sound of the electric piano. Just my personal preference
Brent was the new guy for over 5 years!
Haha, right?!
to my ears, brent was like pop-eye, he opened his mouth, and spinach came out, it's okay if you like spinach, but i can't say that i do....
Donna sounded like a screeching dying giant bird and Keith nodded out at the keys.
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You should have stayed home then.
Brents keyboard sounds computerized and his voice eats right through me
That’s because Brent played a Hammond b3 verse Keith’s rig was more piano
Brent voice was much better than Donna jeans. She was off key about half the time.
He was truly amazing, right to the soul!!
Truth!✌️🙋🏼♀️😁🔴⚡️🔵
I like the baby piano style tinkling
I guess@@marcbernicker206
Thank you for explaining this.
I'm a dyed in the wool Dead Head from the Haight. I never knew this history.
I had heard that Donna got mixed up with the wrong crowd after the Dead - fundamentalist christians - and wondered if that had something to do with it...
"White mountain girl", I wonder if the same as Mountain Girl, who was Jerry's partner at one time. I think mother of his child. Don't think so. I saw her once, I think it was a New Year's show.
No problem, thanks for stopping by! White Mountain girl is just me, , I'm a girl that loves the Grateful Dead and I live in the White Mountains so there's my name White Mountain girl😁✌️🙋🏼♀️🔴⚡️👥️
wait a sec.......fundamentalist christian were the wrong crowd????.....I think not......we were all seakers in the 70's.......you could do alot worse, thinking of moonies here, the house of love freaks, ......I am NOT a fundamentalist, but they had solid doctrine and tried to live righteous....also have you even considered where donna- jeans head was at at the time?? She just lost her husband whom she loved, and had put out many fine shows, and was living when she could in a little apartment in petaluma......It is no wonder to me she turned to the bible.......I did....at the end of the '70's...the 1970's were the criziest time ever...ever...the 60's were too, but the 70's had thier own special brand of stupidity, mentality.....
The bible is a crock.
@@WhiteMountaingirlMy kind of girl! 💀👍
@@deadreckoning6288 🔵⚡️🔴😁🙋🏼♀️✌️
Long live Brett!
100%!NFA 🔵⚡️🔴✌️😊
I liked Brent he had more of a groove, I think Jerry thought so as well that's why he moved next to him on stage, before Brent Jerry was on the other side opposite Keith.
They definitely had an energy together that was unmatched! ✌️😁🙋🏼♀️🔵⚡️🔴
They had a real bromance. They both indulged
@marcbernicker206 very true, it's kinda funny cause they asked Donna n Keith to step away from the band because they were using too much Herzog. That herzog will bite ya in the booty every time. Unfortunately, Jerry didn't look at that as a warning. If he did Jerry would have lived alot longer.
I've always though that as Jerry got deeper into his habit -- especially in the early-to-mid-'80s -- and couldn't play nearly as well as he had prior to that, he looked to Brent to pick up the slack instrumentally during their shows.
I dont think you really answered the question 'Why?'
They had a toxic relationship, Donna and Keith. Big explosive fights back stage.
And Keith's drug use was bad.
Their marriage couldn't handle Life on the road in a band. Not even the BEST band in the land!✌️🙋🏼♀️🔵⚡️🔴
@@WhiteMountaingirl I remember hearing a story about Donna trying to run Keith over with a car and empty liquor bottles being thrown at one another. I think I heard Keith tried setting her hair on fire while she was sleeping once. I heard they once trashed a hotel room so badly during a fight that both the band and the management physically forced them out of the building and they had to sleep in the tour bus in freezing temperatures. One or both of them then tore up some seats and a piece of luggage with a knife. It turned out the next day that Keith had a significant concussion from being beaten over the head repeatedly with a lamp, and Donna had so many bruises on her face that they had to hire a medically trained make-up artist to make her presentable for the concert that evening. The band was on eggshells while performing during that last tour as they were worried something would break out between them on stage. They couldn't fire them during the tour due to contractual entanglements, but they were still reaching out to local talent agencies in every city to have a piano player on stand-by just in case. They would have fired them way sooner, but they just couldn't bring themselves to the unpleasant moment of doing so. It turns out the Godchaux's actually wanted to leave as they blamed the band for all of their marital troubles and thought the music was uninspired and tedious to perform.
@user-tp6fo7im3d this is AWESOME!!!! I am so Grateful that you stopped by, I love to soak up all the Dead knowledge I can!! NFA 🔵⚡️🔴✌️🙋🏼♀️😁😁😁
Keith was good when he was on but Donna really brought a great voice to the band that they never had before or after!
Right on!🔵⚡️🔴😁🙋🏼♀️
Not always
Not always is right. She sounded off key a lot and that screeching during playin in the band scared cats for miles around. Keith was always on. He may not have had the energy level the rest of the band did, but he knew how to play. Donna was questionable.
What? Donna was below average at best. No consistency whatsoever. She had issues for sure and it reflected in every note she sang. I was there up front the entire decade. By 70 crowds were starting to turn on her. Dump Donna was a typical chant at clubs with JGB
Complement. Not compliment. Oh no, did I really just say that? Forget I brought it up ... I mean, who cares, REALLY???
Keith had some great moments with The Dead, but generally in the performances he was just kind of "there". If he had been replaced sooner, they might have been even stronger in the late 70's.
We'll never know, and yes I agree! 🙋🏼♀️🔴⚡️🔵😁✌️
That was the decision that turned the Dead into a tribute band that did nothing but covers of Grateful Dead songs. The more Brent added his influences, the worse they got.
Hey now! Thanks for stopping by. I totally appreciate everybody's comments and opinions.🙋🏼♀️✌️🔴⚡️🔵
Rubbish
@@AEKemp1 Thanks for the thoughtful, well-reasoned reply.
Agreed
Never saw Brent but Keith was so great on Europe 72. .
This headline is false because it never even comes close to the question let alone an answer.
The answer is, because of Donna and Keith's relationship failing, and their explosive and violent arguments on tour. Also, because of Keith's drug use. I hope this helped to answer any questions that you could have had? There is also lots of other things out there about it. Way too much to put on but this little video.
But good is pretty much the gist of what happened as far as I can figure, from talking to dead family who actually remember when it was all going on. Thanks for stopping by. ✌️😁🙋🏼♀️🔵⚡️🔴
People are going to like what they like. But I didn't care for Keith's jazzy piano riffs, and about Donna, the less said the better. Brent Mydland contributed more to the sound than both Godchaux's. For sheer musicianship, the 80's were unmatched. And to really catch the energy at its peak, you hadda be a Grateful Dead freak -- those of us who were on the bus before the Deadhead name was coined.
Agree. Brent was the man and the 80's were a musical peak.
NFA ✌️🔵⚡️🔴🎶
Misguided youth
Man, I knew two ladies from Allegheny College (Hey Al and MS ~ how's things?) that just never seemed to be able to even tolerate Donna. I always figured if she was good enough for Jerry, maybe I should just try shutting up and listening, ya know?.
I respect everyones opinion and many have their favorite era of the Dead, but I couldn't disagree more with the above statement relating to Keith's contributions, or lack there of to the band. My era is 72/74, and Keith during this period was just flat out phenomenal. You listen to the Dark Stars and Bird Songs or PITB or virtually any of the extended jams during this time period and what Keith is doing is absolutely extraordinary, as was the entire band. It can't be overlooked how seamlessly Keith blended his playing with Garcia and he had a natural gift and instinct that enabled him to bring a completely fresh and original approach. But I could go on and on about this when anyone with any doubts should go have a listen to any Dark Star or Bird Song or any long jam from 72/74 (lostmydayjob on TH-cam has some terrific compilations).
It’s a damn shame
I like the music of the 70s with Donna’s vocals. But Brent s vocals are more dynamic and crowd motivating. Brent could probably play as Kieth did, but Keith couldn’t have added to the group with the impact. Brent did
That is a very good perception! And I agree! NFA!✌️🔴⚡️🔵🙋🏼♀️
Understood.. Brent was in the front line, whereas Keith was in more of a supportive role, and took a load off Bob and Jerry, especially as Jerry's voice deteriorated. The Hammond B3 was a great changeup in the band's sound.
8:18
I’m glad this happened because Brent came along and gave them their best years
The band went downhill fast when they brought in Brent Mydland and his rinky dink sounding electronic keyboard that he bought on sale at Toys-R-Us for $39.95. And if you think Donna’s voice was bad, Brent’s singing was awful. I guess if you like the sound of a high-pitched strained gravelly voice that doesn’t blend with any of the other singers, then Brent was your guy. As for me, I’ll take Keith and Donna any day of the week.
Thanks for commenting!✌️🙋🏼♀️🔴⚡️🔵
I wasn't a Brent fan either. He definitely stood out to me in a negative way (both his playing and singing).
Never a Brent fan either.
Brent was sooo much better
NFA🙋🏼♀️✌️🔴⚡️🔵🙋🏼♀️
The dead was in there prime between 1987 1993
Jerry sounds like a frog smoking cigarettes by 84
yup exactly. his voice started to go right about 84'. Shit was catching up with him for sure.@@squeekyshoes
Best decision the GD ever made.
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Keith played grand pianos not upright. Later he used the Yamaha electric grand. Not as good as the acoustic piano.
Cool info!✌️😁🙋🏼♀️
They fought quite a bit, and Donna had an affair with bobby
Whoa! I haven't read that yet!!
Only saw the dead once during the Wall of Sound tour era. They had Keith and Donna and Keith's piano drowned out the mix. Jerry's guitar was inaudible. Yes, inaudible. I had such high hopes and the sound just plain sucked. The song sequencing through the show was bad as well.
It's more then just music, that your ears can hear✌️🔵⚡️🔴
In addition, it never really answers the question, "why were they asked to leave..."
It does answer it. Because they were heavy into nose candy, and had explosive fights and it was really wearing on everyone.
Keith was good. Donna was the Dead's Yoko Ono. She was awful.
Agreed😁✌️🔵⚡️🔴😅
I could never enjoy Donna with the Dead live. I got on the bus in 1985 so I have always loved Brent with them over all others. I will say though that when I saw Bruce Hornsby play with them in 1991, I was hoping g he would stick around. Not a fan of Vince. None of that mattered to me when Jerry passed. Without him, there is no GD.
True words💔🔵⚡️🔴✌️