10/26/2024
Phil Lesh died yesterday at the ripe old age of 84. He was the long-time bass player for one of America's most influential rock groups. You didn't have to be a Dead Head to appreciate their contribution. My tastes ran more to Genesis, PInk Floyd and The Who, but I didn't turn down the opportunity to photograph them once in 1977. The image I captured of Jerry Garcia is still one of my best known and most popular photographs.
We have seen the passing of a multitude of artists who shaped the musical landscape of the last half-century. Many of us have been around long enough to witness and participate in this evolution personally. So even though the only Grateful Dead records I own are 'American Beauty' and two additional albums that my photographs illustrate, I felt a connection based on respect. You don't get to stick around and remain in the public consciousness from the 1960s without doing something right. So Phil Lesh's passing and the times he contributed give me pause, makes me nostalgic and a little sad. RIP Phil.
Photograph © Patrick Harbron 1977/2024
