The Grammy weekend got under way with colorful dancing bears and tie-dye-and-tie fashion as the Grateful Dead was honored Friday night with the preeminent MusiCares Persons of the Year award ahead of Sunday’s Grammy Awards.
Hosted by devoted Deadhead Andy Cohen at the Los Angeles Convention Center, the event was a celebration of the band’s remarkable legacy in both music and philanthropy. Cohen, who shared a personal anecdote about his first Dead concert, declared, “I venture to say they are the great American band. What a wonder they are.”
![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="489px" width="870px" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="1080px" width="1920px" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="598px" width="1064px" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="340px" width="605px" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
Despite winning only two Grammys — one for lifetime achievement in 2007 and another for best music film in 2018 — the Grateful Dead’s impact is undeniable. Known for their unique improvisational style blending rock, blues, jazz, folk, and psychedelia, the band’s 60-year-long journey has touched the hearts of millions.
Guitarist Bob Weir, now 77, quipped, “Longevity was never a major concern of ours. Spreading joy through the music was all we ever really had in mind and we got plenty of that done.” Drummer Mickey Hart pointed to the fervent Deadhead community, commenting, “The Deadheads have kept the dream alive for 60 years now and continue to take this music into the next century.
Actor Woody Harrelson, who had some engaging tales involving the band from his experiences, added to the gaiety of the night, like a drug-free journey to Thailand with Weir. Night long performances by various artists like Norah Jones, Bruce Hornsby, Wynonna Judd, and Dwight Yoakam made the day memorable. The family members presented heartfelt tributes to the band. Weir and Hart were accompanied on stage by Grahame Lesh, Trixie Garcia, and Justin Kreutzmann, the children of the band’s late members.
The event had aided in helping the 35th annual dinner and auction by bringing in fund that would eventually amount to 9.3 million dollars by accepting pledges up to 5.2 million. MusiCares executive director Laura Segura called this phenomenon “unheard of for this gala”.
“This rebuild is going to take some time and effort and an immense amount of teamwork,” Weir reflected about the recent wildfires in Southern California. “My guess is it’s going to take a few years, but SoCal will be back stronger and shinier.
