The Grateful Dead Essay Research Paper I — страница 2

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are called deadheads. These fans thrive off of the Grateful Dead’s live performances. The deadheads would almost do anything to get a ticket to a dead show. A typical deadhead would go to 25 or more shows a year. Dead fans are so loyal, “They would come under water, from Utah, backwards, to stand in line to see them play”. Many people say that if it was not for Grateful Dead live shows the dead would still not be popular today. In 1972 the Grateful Dead went on a European tour. They played in England, Denmark, West Germany, France, The Neatherlands, and to end their tour they went back to London, England. The Grateful Dead put out a live album of their tour called Europe ‘72. On this tour the dead picked up many new European followers and there were many deadheads that

came from the U.S.A to watch their favorite band live in Europe. Just before the tour was about to begin, Pigpen, the group’s harmonica and keyboard player, became seriously ill. He was replaced for awhile by Keith Godchaux. Keith played with the Dead in Europe and at the end of 1972, Pigpen died of a liver ailment. After Pigpen’s death, Keith Godchaux took his place as the group’s harmonica, keyboard, and part time vocalist. Even after his death the Dead still played live performances and produced albums. After the group had this enormous loss the Dead fans stuck through the hard times and continued to be the best fans a group could have. There are many age variations in Deadheads. Some of the Deadheads may be as old as 60 and some may be as young as 10. The Grateful Dead

have seen many generations of people. In some cases the grandfather of a family may have been a deadhead and now his grandson is one, too. The Dead have managed to outlast most of their competitors by attracting these Deadhead fans know as Deadheads. Although many critics have labeld these fans as burnt-out hippies, the Grateful Dead are still alive in the 1990’s and playing their beloved songs. On August 10, 1995 at 4:23 a.m. a nurse walked into the room that Jerry Garcia was staying in at a drug rehabilitation center 60 miles North of San Francisco. She found him on the floor and noticed he wasn’t breathing. She quietly called the Sherriff’s Deputies. When they arrived the nurse and the deputies tried to revive him but they were unsuccessful. Jerry Garcia was dead. Garcia

did not tell any of the group members that he was going to a rehabilitation center. He had told them that he was taking a trip to Hawaii with his wife. It was a shock to the rest of the group to find out that Jerry Garcia had died in a drug rehabilitation center. “Garcia’s last performance with the Dead, was July 9, 1995 in Chicago”, that night will not be forgotten by anyone who attended that last show. Jerry Garcia was fifty-three years of age when he died. Jerry was the Grateful Dead’s singer, song writer, gutaitariest and many believe the heart and soul of the Grateful Dead. This tragedy has left many to wonder if the Grateful Dead will ever play again. One thing is sure about the Grateful Dead, “The Grateful Dead are the best-known and longest lasting of all the

San Francisco bands,..”. In conclusion, the Grateful Dead is a very unique group and has vary unique followers. it is one of the longest lasting bands and has played for over three generations of people with their own style and creativeness. They have had a long journey and there have been many bumps in the road. There is only one phrase that can wrap up the Gratefuldeads career, “What a long strange trip it’s been”.