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Their Story

In late 1965, the members of The Warlocks discovered another band performing under their same name. With the help of a nearby dictionary of folklore, Jerry Garcia rechristened them Grateful Dead. Newly-named, the group became the house band for Ken Kesey’s Acid Tests. They went on to become one of the longest-performing rock bands around, with one of the most devoted fan bases of all time. Though the lineup changed over the band’s thirty-year tenure, the core remained mostly intact.

Musicians

  • Jerry Garcia

    guitar, vocals

    1965 - 1995

  • Bob Weir

    guitar, vocals

    1965 - 1995

  • Phil Lesh

    bass, vocals

    1965 - 1995

  • Bill Kreutzmann

    drums

    1965 - 1995

  • Mickey Hart

    drums

    1967 - 1971
    1974 - 1995

  • Ron "Pigpen" McKernan

    keyboards, harmonica, percussion, vocals

    1965 - 1972

  • Tom Constanten

    keyboards

    1968 - 1970

  • Keith Godchaux

    keyboards

    1971 - 1979

  • Donna Jean Godchaux

    vocals

    1972 - 1979

  • Brent Mydland

    keyboards, vocals

    1979 - 1990

  • Bruce Hornsby

    keyboards, vocals

    1990 - 1992

  • Vince Welnick

    keyboards, vocals

    1990 - 1995

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