The story behind the Grateful Dead goes like this: A man dies but his spirit can not be released because of the debts he owes. Someone comes along and pays off the dead man’s debts, resulting in a spirit that is both free and forever grateful.
The Summer Camp story is rooted in this Grateful Dead tradition. Jerry, Phil, Bobby, Billy, and Mickey are our forefathers and they were all part of a cultural revolution 50 years ago that created a scene much larger than their music. As we all know, it’s never just a show. It’s all about the collective experience, releasing inhibitions, and accepting others for who they are.
Summer Camp is an extension of the culture that the Grateful Dead created. It has given us all an opportunity to share in the bonds that have only grown stronger throughout the years. Many of us Summer Camp Counselors are Deadheads. This band speaks to our passions. We each have our own history as fans of the Grateful Dead and we decided to come together in order to share what this band means to us.
Camp Counselor Carmel
I discovered the Grateful Dead as a young child. My parents had a vast LP collection and I would sneak into their bedroom to rummage through their records when they weren’t paying attention. Of the whole collection, Europe ’72 was always my favorite, probably because of the cartoon artwork on the cover but the music also displayed a raw freedom unlike any of the other songs that were playing on the radio in the early 90’s. I would turn down the volume on the record player, carefully place the needle on the black vinyl, and quietly danced around my parents’ bedroom to “Sugar Magnolia” and “China Cat Sunflower” so I wouldn’t get caught. Fast forward to the summer I graduated high school… The Dead headlined Bonnaroo that year and I had my first transcendent experience that would change me forever. Though I was already familiar with the music, the community and collective consciousness of that show pulled me down the rabbit hole. I realized something that felt so right couldn’t be wrong and the Dead’s tradition of freedom must be the true American Dream. From there I submerged myself in the counterculture of the 1960’s, reading anything I could get my hands on from Kerouac to Electric Kool Aid Acid Test. Throughout my college years I researched old Grateful Dead shows on archive.org and discovered younger generation Jambands like Umphrey’s, moe., and Keller Williams. My horizons expanded beyond my college text books and my life grew more and more full. Live music evokes a magic that I striven to describe for the past ten years. It pulls together a community of followers with a unique love for both music and each other. [caption id="attachment_22116" align="aligncenter" width="639"]
Photo by Camp Counselor Nick Stock of Fat Guerilla Productions[/caption]
There is also something about this music that is universal. I remember hearing “Brokedown Palace” a couple years ago just after my grandfather died and I had never connected this particular song to death until that moment. As tears were streaming down my cheeks, I realized the Grateful Dead created a type of art that was timeless, it adjusts to life’s ups and downs as we grow older. I was comforted in my time of pain and, for that, I am forever grateful.
Camp Counselor Eric
When I think of the Grateful Dead I am reminded of a foundation. With all the things I have come to love over the years of going to concerts and festivals, I have come to have the absolute utmost respect for TGD. They are the foundation of culture for which we stand on today. Without the many years of them mastering the art of touring and having such a devout fan base, so much of what we know and love about live music would be completely different. Music is an adventure and I have thoroughly enjoyed my own personal journey of discovering all the ins and the outs of one of the greatest live movements to ever come from American music.Camp Counselor Derek
On July 9th, 1995, I got a call from a friend of mine, “Hey we have an extra ticket to the Dead at Soldier Field. You wanna go?” “No, I’ll catch them next time around”, I replied. Oops. Jerry Garcia died soon after in August and that was the last show. I remember exactly where I was when I heard the news. I wasn’t a Dead fan at that time, but somehow I knew how significant it was. It was about a year after Kurt Cobain had died. My parents had just sold the house I lived in my whole life, and I knew it was the official end of my childhood. I had just turned 18 and would soon head off to college and spend my summers (and winters) catching every Phish show I could afford. Back then, the debates of Trey versus Jerry were commonplace. It never made any sense to me to debate these two completely different styles, and the Dead/Phish comparison made even less sense. Nevertheless, I found myself defending Trey a lot. 20 years later, Soldier Field will host the Dead with Trey as the lead guitarist. And I’m sure the debates will continue. Jerry was no Trey, and Trey is no Jerry. But what I’ve come to realize over the years is that it is probable that there would be no Trey without Jerry. Obviously Trey would likely still exist — barring some unforeseen changing of the past in which Trey slowly disappears from a photograph and ceases to exist (that’s a 1985 Back to the Future reference for you young’ns). However, the impact the Dead had on future music as a subculture is undeniable. To this day I can hear the Dead references still prominent in all jam band shows. Outside the venues you’ll still see people holding up a finger and pleading for ‘a miracle’ – many of them not knowing that it is a reference to a Dead song. I still see the patchwork pants and smell the Nag Champa incense that became prevalent with the original hippy scene 60 years ago. The tape traders of the ’80s and ’90s found their way to other bands after the Dead were done, and a new era of jam bands (and the term “jam band” itself) was ushered in. And somewhere in a landfill next to the old copies of the Atari’s failed ET game, you’ll find many a Maxell XL II (the only blank tape acceptable in the ’90s) with young bands covering Dead songs. Ages of bands have and will continue to show their respect to the band that started it all. Happy Anniversary kids. And happy last shows.Camp Counselor Amanda
The music of the Grateful Dead has been my saving grace throughout life. I can not honestly think back to a moment or time in my life where I do not remember the music of the leading the way. “So many roads” I have traveled left me needing something to cling to and the music has always brought me through. I will never forget the first time I realized how much the music of the Grateful Dead meant to its fans. I had listened to the music before, but it was in my friend Becca’s basement talking about a friend who had passed and listening to “Ripple” that I first felt that deep connection. I knew in that moment I was going to listen to this music for the rest of my life. I was lucky enough to experience a miracle in 2001 at my first Phil & Friends show by a nice young kid who was on tour named Ryan. Today Ryan is one of my best friends and one of the few people who has always been by my side. I can’t forget that it was the Grateful Dead that first connected us. When I’m down the lyrics to “Touch of Grey” has meant so much more than words can describe. They have helped me through the loss of a child and the pain of divorce. I have learned how to pick myself up and move on by listening to the music and allowing it to soothe my soul. When I first met my husband we shared a special moment listening to “Doin’ That Rag” and I knew at that moment he was my soul-mate. We felt such a connection to the Grateful Dead that we even named our first daughter, Althea, after a song that we both loved so much. To be honest with you all, I do not know that I would be here today without the music of the Grateful Dead. It helped me battle severe depression, an eating disorder when I was younger, and it continues to raise my spirits when I am suffering or in pain. It has helped me set forth the values that I live by and those that I raise my children to believe in. I am so thankful for each and every moment I have spent listening to this beautiful music.Camp Counselor Alex
I can’t sit here and pretend to be a diehard Deadhead like many before me. I can’t tell you about the years when Jerry was at his peak or explain why Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann complement each other so well. They’re not my favorite band, but with that said, don’t get me wrong, I love the Grateful Dead. I love what they did to pioneer the jam scene and usher on a whole new wave of music. I love the fan base and overall vibe of the Dead community. Over the years that community has grown and branched off to create so many different sub-cultures within the music that dominates our playlists today. Without the Grateful Dead, we simply wouldn’t be where we are right now, and for that, I am grateful. It was at my first Incident in 2006 when I saw Bob Weir & Ratdog for the first time. I was just 14 years young, and actually went to this show by myself, which can be a scary thought for parents to let their teen loose in a crowd full of hula-hooping hippies. I don’t remember much of the music, but I most certainly remember the crowd. All these strangers danced to the grooves and treated me like family; all insecurities I felt of being too young and too alone were wiped away almost immediately. I have since seen Phil Lesh & Friends, Dark Star Orchestra, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Keller’s Grateful Grass, and before about every show I attend, I cross my fingers for a dance-party cover of Shakedown Street (ie: STS9). I’m truly happy for all those lucky enough to score tickets to Fare Thee Well. It’s sure to be a legendary weekend and I’m looking forward to couch touring along each night!Camp Counselor Bailey
The Grateful Dead is more than just an amazing band that made fantastic music. They are an integral part of who I am as a human being. I was fortunate enough to be raised by a family that experienced the Dead first hand. I feel incredibly special that I am a 2nd generation Deadhead. Although my parents and their friends got to witness Jerry Garcia and the rest of the band in the flesh many times, I’ve been able to sing and dance to their music my entire life! I actually remember seeing all the symbols such as the Steal Your Face, the Dancing Skeletons, and the Terrapin Turtles when I was a very young child. These became my comfort symbols and I always felt safe or that I belonged when I saw these symbols at someone’s home, on their car, or on their clothing. These symbols were sacred to me as a child and they represented very special music that I would be listening to and identifying with my entire life.
Being a child born in the 80s, I mostly listened to In The Dark and Built To Last. It wasn’t until I was almost 15 years old that I discovered a lot of the band’s other music, and it was like rediscovering the Grateful Dead all over again! It was magical.
If I knew the way, I would take you home.That single sentence helped me put life into perspective as a young adult. To me it meant there will be challenges to face and decisions to make in life in which no one can help you. No matter how much your parent, or your friend, or anyone wants to guide you, there are some things that just you need to figure out on your own. This was a major turning point in my life where I realized that we are in control of our own destiny. Although we have family and friends that can give advice and support, we alone ultimately have to decide how we handle the ups and downs and twists and turns that life throws our way. My exposure to the Grateful Dead as a young person has had a major impact on my life emotionally, physically, and spiritually. I can’t even begin to imagine a world without the Grateful Dead and their incredible spirit. I am grateful to have parents that truly embraced the Grateful Dead for all that it was, and I am even more grateful for how they shared it with me. I look forward to sharing my love and passion for the Grateful Dead with the next generation, as I hope my future children will have as much of an appreciation for the music, the culture, and the love that this incredible band created as I have.
Camp Counselor Nick
The Grateful Dead are the wellspring from which our entire scene flows. They are not the first psychedelic rock band, they are just the ones that turned into a four decade traveling caravan of living life to it’s fullest. Pigeonholing these masters of music as psychedelic means that we are only focusing on their nascent beginnings. Musically The Dead defied genres and focused instead on creating music that resonated with the generations of fans who followed across the globe. That resonation was so strong that many dropped out and hopped on the bus for years. Some people are still searching for that bus stop. No other band has garnered so much allegiance and as we reach the cusp of GD50 that has become abundantly evident. Personally I had decided not to go, but a last minute gig resulted in a bit of extra cash, which made it possible. So with less than a month to go, the wife and I pulled the trigger on a long weekend in California. Chicago will be the final hurrah, but California is an opportunity for this band to pay homage to their roots.
Personally my experience with The Dead was a little roundabout. Of course I had a copy of Skeletons In The Closet and a Dancing Bear tie-dye tapestry in my room, but I had very little knowledge of the world around the music. When I arrived at the University of Iowa I was quickly taken in by a coven of hippies who taught about the wonderful world of Phish. I took to that scene well like a fish in water…. Moving on. I was exposed to a scene that I really didn’t know existed. After immersing myself in all things Phish, I realized that I was missing the foundation. So I went back to study the Grateful Dead much in the way I had with Phish. That’s when I really understood how deep the rabbit hole went.
I was only 14 when Jerry Garcia died. I was somewhere in that grey period where I was not quite old enough, but it still could have happened. Since then I have seen literally every iteration including The Dead Family Reunion, The Other Ones, The Dead, Further, Ratdog, Phil and Friends, The Rhythm Devils, The Mickey Hart Band, The Trichomes, 7 Walkers and more. This music is our bible. The music lives on despite the fact that we are coming to a fork in the road so to speak. Bands like Joe Russo’s Almost Dead and Jazz Is Dead continue to carry the torch on a nightly basis. So for all of that and more I am grateful. See you in California.]]>
