This year marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Grateful Dead, one of the most famous bands in rock & roll history. Beyond their music, the band has also had a huge cultural impact over the half century since they formed. Over the 4th of July weekend, over 70,000 fans gathered in Chicago to celebrate the band they love and bid “Fare Thee Well” to the Grateful Dead. Let’s take a closer look at this iconic band and the subculture they helped create.

History

Back in 1965, a group of Bay Area musicians got together and created a band called The Warlocks. They played shows in small clubs and didn’t attract much attention at first. At the same time, Ken Kesey and his group known as the Merry Pranksters were experimenting with the psychedelic drug LSD by throwing parties called Acid Tests. In need of a band as strange and as far out as the parties they were having, he recruited The Warlocks, who had recently changed their name to the Grateful Dead. Full of LSD, black lights, day-glo paint, and the music of the Dead, the Acid Tests were the talk of the town.

They also were a part of the transition from the beat generation to the hippie movement. This culminated with the legendary Woodstock festival in the summer of 1969, where the Grateful Dead delivered one of their worst performances ever. Despite their bad showing at Woodstock, the Dead continued to attract more and more fans. As they played long shows that were full of improvisation, no two concerts were ever the same. Many fans liked to say, “There is nothing in the world like a Grateful Dead concert.”

“Dawn of the Dead and the Rise of San Francisco”

Although they were most famous for their live show, the Dead also managed to record many studio albums throughout their career. Most of their popularity was based on word-of-mouth, as they never had hit songs on the radio or TV. Fans were encouraged to tape the concerts, which they would share with friends and thus create new fans.

Always on the road, the Grateful Dead made the Guinness Book of World Records in 1998 for “most rock concerts performed,” having played 2,318 shows. The Dead’s popularity continued to rise throughout the 1980s, aided by their first Top 10 song “Touch of Grey.” With a new influx of fans, the band began playing stadiums with crowds of up to 80,000 a night. Unfortunately, the fame and stardom proved to be too much for lead guitarist Jerry Garcia. After battling health and drug issues for many years, Garcia passed away in 1995 at the age of 53.

In the following years, the remaining members of the band continued to play music in various side projects, but the name the Grateful Dead was never used. They played together under different names for a few shows here and there, but never toured like they once did.

Deadheads

You can’t talk about the Grateful Dead without also mentioning their fans, known as “Deadheads.” No other fanbase in music history comes close to theirs in terms of their dedication (or should we say “dead-ication”?). Deadheads traveled far and wide to see their favorite band, even flying all the way to Egypt to watch the band play in front of the pyramids. Many Deadheads even followed the band around the country, going from show to show.

In order to fund their travels, many sold things in the parking lot before the show, such as homemade jewelry, drinks, and yes, plenty of illegal substances as well. The marketplace in the parking lot became known as “Shakedown Street,” a name taken from a popular Dead song. With a history of 50 years, there are Deadheads of all ages.

Influence on Popular Culture

One need not look very far to see the Grateful Dead’s influence on pop culture. First of all, the band were at the forefront of the hippie movement that started in the 1960s and continues to this day. If you know a hippie, chances are you also know a Deadhead. Have you ever seen someone wearing a tie-dye shirt? This style of clothing became very popular in the 60s and was a big part of the Grateful Dead experience. Chances are you’ve also seen some of the famous symbols of the band, such as the “Steal Your Face” skull or the colorful, dancing bears.

The Grateful Dead were one of the first bands to play shows that were composed of two long sets and lots of improvisation. These days, many such bands exist in a genre that has come to be known as “jamband.” Many music festivals in the USA are also strongly tied to the Grateful Dead and their history. Festivals like Gathering of the Vibes and All Good are a continuation of the community that the Dead started, and they draw thousands of fans every year.

Fare Thee Well

With the 50th anniversary of the band approaching, the remaining founding members – Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, and Bill Kreutzmann – decided to get together one last time to honor the band’s legacy and give the fans a few more shows in Chicago. In a bold decision, they brought in Trey Anastasio – lead guitarist for Phish, a band often compared to the Dead. Demand for tickets was so high that they even had to add two more dates in San Francisco. The Chicago shows, held at Soldier Field, broke the football stadium’s attendance record on each night. On the final night, over 72,000 people packed in to bid “fare thee well” to a band that has had a huge impact on their lives, live music, and popular culture.

The “Fare Thee Well” shows were a huge success, both musically and financially. When all was said and done, it’s estimated that the five concerts plus all of the merchandise sales and online streaming of the shows brought in over $55 million – not bad for a 50-year old band! Despite those impressive numbers, the band insists that those will be the last shows they all play together. However, three out of four founding members will be back on the road soon enough as they have scheduled a fall tour and New Year’s Eve concerts under a new name – Dead & Co. And so the long, strange trip of the Grateful Dead continues.