The effect that the Grateful Dead have had on the music industry can hardly be explained in words. Their unique improvisations and performances lead legions of "Dead Heads" to coin the term "jam band", which would later go on to describe acts such as Phish and The Black Crowes.
Ultimate-Guitar received word from a few bands that have been influenced by the Dead and got some of their thoughts on the band and their favorite Grateful Dead songs.
Keller Williams – musician
"The Grateful Dead has influenced me in so many ways, in so many aspects of my life. They taught me how to travel, both physically and mentally…about bluegrass, and about improvisational, psychedelic music…those are just a few…"
Keller Williams has just released a new album, Live, with Moseley, Droll and Sipe.
Railroad Earth - John Skehan, mandolin
"What first drew me to the music of the Grateful Dead was their contrapuntal approach to the rock idiom. Like a jazz group, all of the players weave independent improvised lines around one another, taking an equally free approach whether supporting the "composed" body of a song or embarking on an extended group improvisation. At their best, they relentlessly challenged themselves to stretch and explore each performance as something new, and their musical honesty is evident in their ability to fall flat on their faces one moment, and then take flight again in the very next. This approach is, in my opinion, essential to keeping one's music vital and interesting for both the performer and the listener."
Hot Buttered Rum - Nat Keefe, vocals/guitar
"The Grateful Dead brought together different strains of American music into a popular, danceable form. In the Dead I hear the improvisatory exploration of Miles Davis and John Coltrane, the ancient tones of bluegrass and old time music, and the dance pop sensibility of 50s and 60s rock 'n' roll. This created a music which is now itself a genre. It's both modern and ancient. It's serious and fun.
"My dad and uncle took me to see my first Dead show at Frost Amphitheater in Palo Alto, CA when I was ten years old. I remember walking in there and thinking it is so cool to have two drum sets. Then the band comes on and everybody stands up and starts dancing. I had never really danced like that before but some nice deadhead ladies got me grooving with them and boy did I have a good time! I've been hooked on rockin' and rollin' ever since!"
Umphrey’s McGee - Jake Cinninger, guitarist
"Whenever I pick up my guitar, Jerry’s touch to the instrument comes to mind. The delicate nature of his playing always helps me relax when I start digging into my axe too hard. His incredibly clean and ringing tones are an inspiration for clarity and simplicity. Jerry is one of my favorite guitarists because he could hodge-podge so many styles effortlessly; he will forever have his musical fingerprint on my playing."
Umphrey’s McGee is currently on tour, so make sure to check out Umphreys.com for all those dates.
moe. - Vinnie Amico, drummer
"The Grateful Dead was one of my earliest and greatest influences. My first eight years of my professional music career was spent playing Grateful Dead music. Playing there music taught me a lot about how to perform on stage. It not only honed my chops but my ears. I think playing that style of music with the caliber of musicians I played with was as good as music school. It was my music school. For years, long before moe. or most other "jambands" there wasn't much, if any improvisation in rock music. The Grateful Dead was the only band improvising, changing up there set list, and allowing the audience to tape each show. We all followed in their footsteps. I don't think that the jamband genre of music would exist if it were not for The Grateful Dead."
The musicians above also let us know what some of their favorite Grateful Dead songs are in the "Celebrity Dead Playlist".
Celebrity Playlist: Jamband Edition – The Grateful Dead:
01. Keller Williams: Birdsong
02. Railroad Earth: Brokedown Palace
03. Hot Buttered Rum: Truckin’
04. Umphrey’s McGee: Crazy Fingers and Stella Blue
05. moe: Jack Straw
06. Ultimate-Guitar: Dark Star
Fans of great music are urged to check out the Grateful Dead’s latest release, "Rocking The Cradle: Egypt 1978". This compilation that spans across two CDs and one DVD showcases the band’s performances at the Sphinx Theatre in Giza, Egypt on September 15 and 16, 1978. And if you just can’t get enough of the Grateful Dead, fans can also check out this widget which streams Dead songs and can be embedded on your MySpace or other social-networking sites.
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