That's Ron Pigpen McKernan on harmonica... The original rapper! Check out Turn on Your Love light or Good Lovin' from the 60's or Early 70s. Passed away in 73 a member of the 27 club ... th-cam.com/video/QFjfBSBNgpA/w-d-xo.html
And captured the experience is captured in the Grateful Dead Song 'Might as Well'. Never had such a good time, in my life before. I'd like to have it one time more Whoa! One good ride from start to end I'd like to take that ride again, again!
"Festival Express" was known as the "Canadian Woodstock" in the summer of 1970. Dead, Janis Jopin, The Band, Buddy Guy and a number of Canadian artists traveled from east to west (Toronto to Vancouver, BC). It was one wild party!
@@WhiteCamry Thanks. it's been a long while since I watched the Doc. (I rented it from blockbuster) I remember the producer wanted to end up in BC, but I had forgot if they made it. Though I do recall Janis giving a grand fairwell speech with Jerry, and saying "next time you throw a train, make sure to invite me." Sadly she died later that year.
Pig Pen years were something special! That man could slap on harmonica. This band had so many different styles based on who was playing with them. What a hell of a band. Just got Europe 72 on vinyl earlier today. Bout to jam after this J.
3/17/91...Capital Centre...my last show. Crazy Fingers~Truckin' and then to blow the roof right the Hell off the barn,New Speedway. The roar of the crowd was as physical a presence as sound has ever been in my life.
I was there with my crew. We were just high school kids then and we had a blast. It wasn’t my first Dead (or JGB) show but it was the first really good one I saw, and it was my best friend’s first show. It permanently changed him. I kept that green tied dyed Stealie with the shamrocks for years. :) I still can’t believe Crap Center is gone and they are tearing down RFK. So many memories.
Thanks so much for reacting to my request. I knew you would love the groove of this tune and the soul in Jerry’s voice really shines. I’m definitely here for the duration. I can’t wait to see the next one.
The harmonica player was Pigpen (A.K.A Ron McKernan), he was the heart and soul of the Grateful Dead in their early years until he passed away in late 1972. He was a blues man through and through to his bones!
See that football player enjoying the show? That was QB Joe Kapp, then of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, later a member of the Minnesota Vikings, and also a QB at Cal-Berkeley. The footage is from the movie Festival Express, and the Winnipeg Football stadium. Great to see Pigpen on the harmonica.
I love your stuff! You have a great vibe and you bring lots of Grateful Dead back to life. You are a breath of fresh air with your enthusiasm and totally uplifting commentary. The best part for me is seeing you groove to the music. Mahalo dude! "One way or another this darkness got to this darkness got to give"!
I love this tune. 😀 Jamel you're getting into the heat of it. Proud to call you my brother as a Deadhead. Wish you could have seen Jerry , man. Keep watching. 😊
Love your cool Soul Jamal. I turned 50 today and looking to wind it down w stuff like you bring. Your vids are beautiful gifts. Blessings Your Way Good Sir. Yam it IS the right time to move to this Groove. They lived in The Pocket.
They didn’t play this song for 20 years and I was at Oakland Colosseum in 1991 when they brought it back. Such a great surprise because everyone loves that song. They hadn’t played it since 1970
I paused my Charlie Chaplin movie for you, and for The Dead. If you know me, you know that’s real love. 😄 Sitting on my porch singing along. The neighbors understand 😅
@@trismaccarran9950 the Stones attempted to place the blame of Altamont violence on the Dead. The Stones wanted to protect their image. The Dead had Hell Angel friends but dont believe they hired any for this concert. Some of the lines reference the Stones in a loose way.
@Ray Lang...I've seen footage of that concert, up to the chopper landing to lift the Stones out of the hell it became. Did not know they'd tried to absolve themselves of blame by alluding the GD had hired the HA. Thnx for the info..
The purple shirt show! This is an amazing gig!! Thanks for posting this! The Janis Joplin from this show is amazing as well. Get your tickets for Skulls and Roses Ventura Jamel! You do not want to miss it! -Nordy
The Grateful Dead was one of the only bands that didn't mind their fans taping their performances. Buying and selling in trading cassette tapes of their performances was the cottage industry. They were still for many decades the highest grossing live band in history
I first got into the dead listening to recorded shows on cassettes, takes me back. The Dead and Co. Still allow people to record shows even in todays corporate music era.
I saw the Dead in the late 1970’s, there really wasn’t anything like a Grateful Dead concert, 4 hours, all by themselves!! Ima gonna have to rebuild my catalog of Dead music. Over the past 50 years between loaning them to friends, and then not clearing my albums from the house after my divorce. I’d have had to put them in storage because I moved into an itty bitty apartment. Anyone that that pays for a storage locker is foolish. Luv ya man!! You are the one reactor I catch daily!!
I met a Tahoe Mike several years ago when he was hiking the PCT. Wouldn't it be a coincidence if you're him. Either way, us Dead Heads are definitely everywhere. Love this song and video. Thanks Jamal!
@@joedaddy44 No, not me. I am however, a big fan of Dixie (Jessica Mills) and her Homemade Wanderlust channel. I watched her trip on the PCT. I have crossed the tail at various places in the neighborhood, but haven't hiked it.
someone said 'Jerry was the only one who could play for thousands of people and make everybody feel like they were sitting around the kitchen table'. Something to that effect
Always love seeing someone get into the dead. I've been an Australian deadhead since I was about 16, and there's very few of us over here, so it's always great finding the rare new person who's also a bit of a deadhead.
You get it, brother! That's all I can say. It's such a joy to share music with you! Jam bands are amazing and the communities that they create are too. The grateful dead are as much cultural phenomenon as a band. I wish you could have experienced them in person. It's a whole other layer of amazing! Great stuff as always, and great seeing you digging these classic tunes!
The early Dead live were primal you must here a live version of Viola Lee Blues, from say 1966. It’s an old blues song that goes way back! Pigpen sings King Bee a very sexy old blues song that’s incredible too.
Festival Express movie is full of so many great performances. My favorite, really Movin, performance by Dead was Hard to Handle. A real get down moment!
My Wife (now) & I were lucky to The Grateful Dead before Gerry pass. It was a great concert, or at least what I remember. We won't talk about that. A friend of my had two tickets & couldn't go. We bought both of them. I had no problem bring him a T-SHIRT.
The second Dead album I ever bought was actually a double cassette - American Beauty, side 1; Workingman's Dead, side 2. What a score! And I wore that thing out! This was one of my favorites. Thanks, brother! Peace.
The Real Grateful Dead with the Founder Ron McKernan. "He began socializing around the San Francisco Bay Area, becoming friends with Jerry Garcia. After the pair had played in various folk and jug bands, McKernan suggested they form an electric group, which became the Grateful Dead."
It's always inspiring to watch you get into the Dead and Phish the way you have, Jamel -- I was literally thinking about NSB last night at work, and your vid was here on my feed this morning. "The Guy with the harmonica was Pigpen - he was the son of an Oakland record shop owner who sold a lot of blues. He was very much a leader of the band at that point - between the organ and the harmonica, he helped lay down alot of blues-based groove. He died, unfortunately, in 1972, IIRC The song is all about the tragic night at Altamont - "one way or another this darkness has got to give". Like - "that was ill and this scene can't have that" -- but they couldn't actually tell Sonny Barger that! They were friends of the band, and not the kind of dudes you want to openly criticize. Never feel a way about "coming in late" -- my first shows were Spring Tour 1990. Better late than never is 💯 % correct. One Love, Jamel
My first show was Hersheypark in either 85 or 86, I was 10 or 11 years old, I believe it was 86. I rode my bike as I did to all the concerts at Hershey. I grew up 1/2 a mile away. I didn't know what was happening all I knew is something WAS HAPPENING. I left home in 89 and followed the band summer ,spring, fall, and jgb in the winter. I was at Jerry's last show and every shoe in between then from 89 on. I miss Brent & Jerry an awful lot. Good stuff here man.👍👍
I used to play a version on this with my band, it is a wonderful vehicle for improv. Beautiful reaction Jamel! I'd love to let you hear our version sometime. I wish they'd kept this in their lineup a bit longer!
1967-1972 were their best years with Pigpen on organ and harmonica. More bluesy and psychedelic than later eras of which the jazzier '70s with Keith and Donna is my next favorite. There's always more love for the '80s/'90s Dead recordings because a lot of older fans around here lived those eras (plus there's more video available), but Pigpen was the blues outlier that seemed to bring a more R&B drive to them because it seemed to have about vanished when he left. I know Bobby took up "Good Lovin'" from the late '70s onward, but he's no match to Pigpen doing it and I'm sure he's always known it all due respect of course.
Yesssss a new grateful dead reaction is what I need on a Sunday night! If you go back to Phish could I recommend/request The Divided Sky from 10/31/94. It's one of their signature songs and a great piece of music. There's a good video of the performance on TH-cam. And one more thing....if you have Prime video, check out the 6 part Grateful Dead documentary "Long Strange Trip". It may be a bit hard to follow at times as it jumps around a bit, but it's got a lot of great footage. Thanks for all you do!
I didn't find the dead until after I graduated college. Fell far far down the habit hole since. Doesn't matter when you find it, all that matters is that once you get it, you can never let it go.
This seems like such a silly idea for a video but holy shit did this put an enormous smile on my face the whole way through. Almost felt like the first time I experienced this absolute banger of a show myself. Thanks man!
I was given actually I was pulled over by a deadhead he heard me jamming classic rock in my Camaro he pulled me over and tossed me workingman's dead cassette this was in 1998 The Grateful Dead has changed my life for the better once I pop that cassette into my deck I had to rewind the a side before I got to the B-side
I enjoy all the music the boys brought to the table But 4 me their is something very special to New Speed Way Boogie the 1970ty versions, go & iisten to all the N.S.W.B. the Dead did in the spring&summer of1991 4 me I was in pure extacie, was& is my all time favorite jam&song,saw most in 91,so blessed they revived it. Peace Chuck Forman
‘KEEP GREAT MUSIC ALIVE’ Shirts and More, Enter Promo Code ‘Jamel’ jamel-aka-jamal-youtube-store.creator-spring.com
Hi Jamel, please react to Grateful Dead Help on the Way/Slipklnot!/Franklin's Tower (5/9/77) th-cam.com/video/Q1fozQgWXIw/w-d-xo.html
Need to watch festival express!! Awesome doc movie Janis the dead the band shanana Myles Davis. Many more !
All of us who have been listening to the Grateful Dead all our lives know that their music is good for the soul. No Doubt.
That's Ron Pigpen McKernan on harmonica... The original rapper! Check out Turn on Your Love light or Good Lovin' from the 60's or Early 70s. Passed away in 73 a member of the 27 club ...
th-cam.com/video/QFjfBSBNgpA/w-d-xo.html
in my opinion this is the first rap song hell my man even says rap in the song
This is a clip from the “Festival Express” movie. The Dead and many other legends touring Canada on a train. A must see!
What Dori Vee said! Watch this entire film Jamel!
And captured the experience is captured in the Grateful Dead Song 'Might as Well'. Never had such a good time, in my life before. I'd like to have it one time more
Whoa! One good ride from start to end I'd like to take that ride again, again!
Beat me to it brutha...
This was in part due to the violence at this tour. The train was great. The tour sucked
Dosed out jam sessions, pretty sweet stuff!!
That is "Pigpen" on the harmonica. When he was still with us, the band had a different more bluesy sound.
I miss seeing pigpen with the band
"Please don't dominate the rap Jack, if you ain't got nothin' new to say". Great opening line.
This is the funkiest era of the Dead, and one of the best overall. Pigpen era Dead is phenomenal.
....yes, that's what I say too....
Pigpen !!!
Agreed!!
I'd love to see Jamel do Easy Wind.
Pretty sure that he'd love it.
The Pigpen and Brent eras are my favorites.
"Festival Express" was known as the "Canadian Woodstock" in the summer of 1970. Dead, Janis Jopin, The Band, Buddy Guy and a number of Canadian artists traveled from east to west (Toronto to Vancouver, BC). It was one wild party!
It was a great concert documentary as well. Worth checking out the film if youve never seen it!
Delaney and Bonnie, too. If you pay attention to the crowd, there were plenty of people tripping their butts off.
The Vancouver gig fell through before the tour started, so Calgary was the last stop.
@@WhiteCamry Thanks. it's been a long while since I watched the Doc. (I rented it from blockbuster) I remember the producer wanted to end up in BC, but I had forgot if they made it. Though I do recall Janis giving a grand fairwell speech with Jerry, and saying "next time you throw a train, make sure to invite me." Sadly she died later that year.
That's the tour the song "Might As Well" was written about?
Pig Pen years were something special! That man could slap on harmonica. This band had so many different styles based on who was playing with them. What a hell of a band. Just got Europe 72 on vinyl earlier today. Bout to jam after this J.
3/17/91...Capital Centre...my last show. Crazy Fingers~Truckin' and then to blow the roof right the Hell off the barn,New Speedway. The roar of the crowd was as physical a presence as sound has ever been in my life.
I was there with my crew. We were just high school kids then and we had a blast. It wasn’t my first Dead (or JGB) show but it was the first really good one I saw, and it was my best friend’s first show. It permanently changed him. I kept that green tied dyed Stealie with the shamrocks for years. :)
I still can’t believe Crap Center is gone and they are tearing down RFK. So many memories.
#iwasthere
A Grateful Dead classic we’ll done with Jerry and Pigpen done In Canada live these guys had it all going on!
Fine Music!
Oh Jamel, your love of the Dead makes my heart so happy. They make my heart smile. Always. Sending love and peace from Richmond, VA. ✌️
Jamel and the Dead. That's a good day.
Chris Hazzard did the remaster and needs a shout out. The video has never been so colorful and crisp and the sound clear.
This.. for real
Thanks so much for reacting to my request. I knew you would love the groove of this tune and the soul in Jerry’s voice really shines. I’m definitely here for the duration. I can’t wait to see the next one.
Thank you for requesting this one! 🌻☮️❤️💫
The harmonica player was Pigpen (A.K.A Ron McKernan), he was the heart and soul of the Grateful Dead in their early years until he passed away in late 1972. He was a blues man through and through to his bones!
saw him in the street after his very last gig - he didn't look well
Love me some PIG
Passed away in 73 as I recall...
Love how u wrote it, "Pigpen" aka Ron McKernan
Pig Pen was in rare form !!🥰🥰 This song is referring to what happened at Altamont the year before.
See that football player enjoying the show? That was QB Joe Kapp, then of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, later a member of the Minnesota Vikings, and also a QB at Cal-Berkeley. The footage is from the movie Festival Express, and the Winnipeg Football stadium. Great to see Pigpen on the harmonica.
LOL i always crack up when i see this clip pans through the crowd ..deadhead..deadhead..baby...dancer...football player?? only at a dead show
At what time signature?
I will never get tired of watching people enjoy themselves. Joy is contagious. Thank you Jamel
I love your stuff! You have a great vibe and you bring lots of Grateful Dead back to life. You are a breath of fresh air with your enthusiasm and totally uplifting commentary. The best part for me is seeing you groove to the music. Mahalo dude! "One way or another this darkness got to this darkness got to give"!
I love this tune. 😀 Jamel you're getting into the heat of it. Proud to call you my brother as a Deadhead. Wish you could have seen Jerry , man. Keep watching. 😊
GRATEFUL DEAD album WORKINGMAN'S DEAD Rock and Roll back then had no racial boundaries FANTASTIC TIMES
One way or another,
this Darkness got to give...
❤ Peace, and
Keep the Faith Jamel❤
Jamel AKA Jamal, I love this! Thank you!
Love your cool Soul Jamal. I turned 50 today and looking to wind it down w stuff like you bring. Your vids are beautiful gifts. Blessings Your Way Good Sir. Yam it IS the right time to move to this Groove. They lived in The Pocket.
They didn’t play this song for 20 years and I was at Oakland Colosseum in 1991 when they brought it back. Such a great surprise because everyone loves that song. They hadn’t played it since 1970
You really have to watch Grateful Dead perform “So Many Roads” 10/1/94 version Jamel. Jerry just goes crazy! It’s amazing!
Shout out to you Jamel! One of my favs.! ⚡🌹⚡!
Thanks for keeping this great music alive!
Jamel and the Dead, yes sir!!! Love this 😉 That's Pigpen on the harmonica.
Jamal brother, thank you for putting a smile on my face this morning....and chill bumps on my arm.
I paused my Charlie Chaplin movie for you, and for The Dead. If you know me, you know that’s real love. 😄 Sitting on my porch singing along. The neighbors understand 😅
You may be my twin. :-)
@@jdscottphd fellow fan of Jamel, The Dead and Charlie?? Love it! 😄
@@karaminalee I technically prefer Keaton (two new bios out!) but love sharing Chaplin w/ people. :-)
@@jdscottphd I can definitely respect that. Buster is masterful. One of my cat’s is named Buster Keaton. 😄 I’ll have to check those bios out, thanks!
@@karaminalee one of my cats is named Al Jolson! (The other two are Catfish John and Loose Lucy)
Easily one of my favorite songs. “Spent a little time on the mountainnnnn” that ramp up always slaps
Hey Now!
Grateful for the request replay 😎
The word is > Appreciation!
🎶 That's What It's about 🎶
So awesome you get it 👍😎✌️
What a great way to end the weekend. 🌹
I haven't by any means heard the Dead catalog, but...this might be my favorite one 🎶
Keep diggin in. Many great songs.
Song was a reply in part to the Rolling Stones.
@Ray Lang...interesting. How so?
@@trismaccarran9950 the Stones attempted to place the blame of Altamont violence on the Dead. The Stones wanted to protect their image. The Dead had Hell Angel friends but dont believe they hired any for this concert. Some of the lines reference the Stones in a loose way.
@Ray Lang...I've seen footage of that concert, up to the chopper landing to lift the Stones out of the hell it became. Did not know they'd tried to absolve themselves of blame by alluding the GD had hired the HA. Thnx for the info..
American music always carries the blues
The purple shirt show! This is an amazing gig!! Thanks for posting this! The Janis Joplin from this show is amazing as well. Get your tickets for Skulls and Roses Ventura Jamel! You do not want to miss it! -Nordy
I love Jerry teasing some licks from Nobody's Fault But Mine!
yes! nice shirt!!!!! donuts baby
The Grateful Dead was one of the only bands that didn't mind their fans taping their performances. Buying and selling in trading cassette tapes of their performances was the cottage industry. They were still for many decades the highest grossing live band in history
Mind? Hell, the Dead encouraged the taping. They had a section just for the tapers, audibly superior to most seats in the house.
I first got into the dead listening to recorded shows on cassettes, takes me back. The Dead and Co. Still allow people to record shows even in todays corporate music era.
They inadvertently invented viral marketing
Nice chill groove for a snowy Sunday here in the East 😎
*never heard this one before, thnx
I saw the Dead in the late 1970’s, there really wasn’t anything like a Grateful Dead concert, 4 hours, all by themselves!!
Ima gonna have to rebuild my catalog of Dead music. Over the past 50 years between loaning them to friends, and then not clearing my albums from the house after my divorce. I’d have had to put them in storage because I moved into an itty bitty apartment. Anyone that that pays for a storage locker is foolish.
Luv ya man!! You are the one reactor I catch daily!!
B
kevin where u been?
@@kathyellis7299 I been where I’ve always been, beautiful St. Louis county mo.
How might I help you?
Love your show Jamal keep on keeping on 🍄🇺🇲🍄🌍🍄
"Shout out to all the Dead Heads. We are here!" Brother, WE ARE EVERYWHERE!
I met a Tahoe Mike several years ago when he was hiking the PCT.
Wouldn't it be a coincidence if you're him.
Either way, us Dead Heads are definitely everywhere.
Love this song and video.
Thanks Jamal!
@@joedaddy44 No, not me. I am however, a big fan of Dixie (Jessica Mills) and her Homemade Wanderlust channel. I watched her trip on the PCT. I have crossed the tail at various places in the neighborhood, but haven't hiked it.
someone said 'Jerry was the only one who could play for thousands of people and make everybody feel like they were sitting around the kitchen table'. Something to that effect
I saw Phil and friends perform this and on the first verse they didn’t sing “one way or another” but the crowd just sang it. It was beautiful.
Always love seeing someone get into the dead. I've been an Australian deadhead since I was about 16, and there's very few of us over here, so it's always great finding the rare new person who's also a bit of a deadhead.
That's pigpen on the harp. The other two great songs from this film were him doing Hard to Handle and Easy Wind.
Just made my Sunday night better Jamel!!! Thanks bro!!!
✌🏼
Was this Festival Express where Jerry got the idea from Delaney Bramlett to start playing Goin’ Down The Road Feelin’ Bad.
You get it, brother! That's all I can say. It's such a joy to share music with you! Jam bands are amazing and the communities that they create are too. The grateful dead are as much cultural phenomenon as a band. I wish you could have experienced them in person. It's a whole other layer of amazing! Great stuff as always, and great seeing you digging these classic tunes!
One Way or Another- This Darkness Has Got to Give
The early Dead live were primal you must here a live version of Viola Lee Blues, from say 1966. It’s an old blues song that goes way back! Pigpen sings King Bee a very sexy old blues song that’s incredible too.
Look at all them Deadheads! You better believe I'm loving this Jamel!
Thank you my brother, I needed this! R.I.P Jerry! Gone but never forgotten!
We love your love for music and a little bit of magic
Festival Express movie is full of so many great performances. My favorite, really Movin, performance by Dead was Hard to Handle. A real get down moment!
The Dead have been one of the best ambassadors of rhythm and blues music throughout their tenure. Playing old jug band songs to this day.
spent a lil time on the mountain!... spent some time on the hill!!... some things get out of hand... i guess they may always will!!!
My Wife (now) & I were lucky to The Grateful Dead before Gerry pass. It was a great concert, or at least what I remember. We won't talk about that. A friend of my had two tickets & couldn't go. We bought both of them. I had no problem bring him a T-SHIRT.
The second Dead album I ever bought was actually a double cassette - American Beauty, side 1; Workingman's Dead, side 2. What a score! And I wore that thing out! This was one of my favorites. Thanks, brother! Peace.
Great video thanks
This is the Dead in their absolute prime.
Man,those were some great times!!! Thanks for the reminder ✌️
The Real Grateful Dead with the Founder Ron McKernan. "He began socializing around the San Francisco Bay Area, becoming friends with Jerry Garcia. After the pair had played in various folk and jug bands, McKernan suggested they form an electric group, which became the Grateful Dead."
It's just great song thank you Jamal 😎👍
It's always inspiring to watch you get into the Dead and Phish the way you have, Jamel -- I was literally thinking about NSB last night at work, and your vid was here on my feed this morning.
"The Guy with the harmonica was Pigpen - he was the son of an Oakland record shop owner who sold a lot of blues. He was very much a leader of the band at that point - between the organ and the harmonica, he helped lay down alot of blues-based groove. He died, unfortunately, in 1972, IIRC
The song is all about the tragic night at Altamont - "one way or another this darkness has got to give". Like - "that was ill and this scene can't have that" -- but they couldn't actually tell Sonny Barger that! They were friends of the band, and not the kind of dudes you want to openly criticize.
Never feel a way about "coming in late" -- my first shows were Spring Tour 1990. Better late than never is 💯 % correct.
One Love, Jamel
My first show was Hersheypark in either 85 or 86, I was 10 or 11 years old, I believe it was 86. I rode my bike as I did to all the concerts at Hershey. I grew up 1/2 a mile away. I didn't know what was happening all I knew is something WAS HAPPENING. I left home in 89 and followed the band summer ,spring, fall, and jgb in the winter. I was at Jerry's last show and every shoe in between then from 89 on. I miss Brent & Jerry an awful lot. Good stuff here man.👍👍
I love this song, the story it tells and the questions it ponders
Man, I love anything with Pigpen on harp! Thank you!
One of my all time favs!!!
This video sounded AMAZING Jamal, Pigpen brought the 🔥 with his harmonica playing. Thanks for sharing this video Brother ✌ from KY
Jamel, the reason the brothers weren't dancin crazy was because they were trippin balls on great acid. They were just amazed at whole spectacle.
I used to play a version on this with my band, it is a wonderful vehicle for improv. Beautiful reaction Jamel! I'd love to let you hear our version sometime. I wish they'd kept this in their lineup a bit longer!
Love your Grateful Dead stuff it’s amazing and you are too!!
“Got that New Orleans boogie and stank.” Very perceptive. Great reactions.
Classic tune penned by Robert Hunter. Actually a commentary on what happened at Altamont with the Hells Angels. Great tune
Excellent find on the video.. thanks for sharing.
I'm glad the bus came by, AND YOU GOT ON...Welcome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
One of my all time favorite Dead tunes. Love.
My favorite Grateful Dead performance was golden gate park 1-14-67. Very psychedelic and awesome
Thanks for this my brother
"One way or another this darkness got to give......."
1967-1972 were their best years with Pigpen on organ and harmonica. More bluesy and psychedelic than later eras of which the jazzier '70s with Keith and Donna is my next favorite. There's always more love for the '80s/'90s Dead recordings because a lot of older fans around here lived those eras (plus there's more video available), but Pigpen was the blues outlier that seemed to bring a more R&B drive to them because it seemed to have about vanished when he left. I know Bobby took up "Good Lovin'" from the late '70s onward, but he's no match to Pigpen doing it and I'm sure he's always known it all due respect of course.
Definitely one of fav tunes to hear played live whether its dead and co ,jerry dead or even widespread panic doing it
You haven't lived until you have witnessed one of these shows. I mourn for those who didn't get that opportunity.
Yesssss a new grateful dead reaction is what I need on a Sunday night!
If you go back to Phish could I recommend/request The Divided Sky from 10/31/94. It's one of their signature songs and a great piece of music. There's a good video of the performance on TH-cam.
And one more thing....if you have Prime video, check out the 6 part Grateful Dead documentary "Long Strange Trip". It may be a bit hard to follow at times as it jumps around a bit, but it's got a lot of great footage.
Thanks for all you do!
The Divided Sky from Clifford Ball in 95 was also epic with I believe an epic-er 'pause'
You owe it to yourself to watch Festival Express in its entirety. Some killer music and a fun look into the friendship of these beloved artists
I didn't find the dead until after I graduated college. Fell far far down the habit hole since. Doesn't matter when you find it, all that matters is that once you get it, you can never let it go.
By the way, the harmonica player is the late, great "Pigpen", aka Ron McKernan. He passed away in 1973 at the age of 27.
You have a 1970 Jerry-beard, Jamel. I love listening to the Dead with you.
Festival Express 1970 Canada 🇨🇦
Pig Pen on the Harp ✌... thanks brother
Recorded in McMahon Stadium, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It's about a 15 minute drive from my house. I've seen no shortage of football games there.
Love that Dark Side plaque on the wall 💪🏽
This seems like such a silly idea for a video but holy shit did this put an enormous smile on my face the whole way through. Almost felt like the first time I experienced this absolute banger of a show myself. Thanks man!
That’s my home town Toronto at the old Exhibition Stadium. This is from the 1970 Festival Express tour across Canada. Great documentary on it.
I was given actually I was pulled over by a deadhead he heard me jamming classic rock in my Camaro he pulled me over and tossed me workingman's dead cassette this was in 1998 The Grateful Dead has changed my life for the better once I pop that cassette into my deck I had to rewind the a side before I got to the B-side
This was great. Thanks for the reaction.
Thank you for sharing this with me
I enjoy all the music the boys brought to the table But 4 me their is something very special to New Speed Way Boogie the 1970ty versions, go & iisten to all the N.S.W.B. the Dead did in the spring&summer of1991 4 me I was in pure extacie, was& is my all time favorite jam&song,saw most in 91,so blessed they revived it. Peace Chuck Forman
🎼🎶It's just cool that you're getting it now. 🎶🤘🏴
Pure Americana. They were very much a blues based rock group at that point. Thank again Jamel.