Pete Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 Born this day, 1945 Ron "Pigpen" McKernan was one of the founding members of the Grateful Dead, and the member who made the push for the Warlocks to go electric, and soon became the Grateful Dead. True to being a bluse man, he loved his wiskey, and his music. It was rumored he was to marry Jannis Joplin, and the strain of her death put him over the edge, causing him to drink even more leading to his ultimate demise on March 8th 1973 of a gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Though the band flurished once he was no longer able to play and was replced by Keith, there was never the same sound as when Pigpen would blow the harp, or plink on the keys. His few vocals were lost forever, as no other in the band could cover them the way he did. Pigpen was a favorite of Garcias', and now the two hit that big stage in the sky every night...............Jerry pickin and grining, and Pig blowin harp. I been balling a shiny black steel jack-hammer, been chippin' up rocks for the great highway, live five years if I take my time, ballin' that jack and a drinkin' my wine. I been chippin' them rocks from dawn till doom, while my rider hide my bottle in the other room. Doctor say better stop ballin' that jack, if I live five years I gonna bust my back, yes I will. Easy wind cross the Bayou today cause there's a whole lotta women, mama, out in red on the streets today. And the rivers keep a talkin', but you never heard a word it said. Gotta find a woman be good to me, won't hide my liquor try to serve me tea, cause I'm a stone jack baller and my heart is true and I'll give everything that I got to you, yes I will. Easy wind going cross the Bayou today there's a whole lotta women out in red on the streets today. And the rivers keep a talkin', but you never heard a word it said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rincewind Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 Turn on your light, let it shine on me... R.I.P. Pigpen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeanCollins Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 1973 is about the time that I started listening to the dead, but wasn't aware of the evolution of the band before garcia,weir, and lesh. just read that mickey hart (elvin bishop, starship) was in there as well, but makes sense that he was later in starship another frisco band. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rincewind Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 For those not in the know - if you would really like to hear what Pigpen was all about, I would suggest picking up 'Two from the Vault'. The 'Turn on Your Lovelight' and 'Good Morning Little Schoolgirl' are Pigpen gold. Great thread Pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted September 9, 2006 Author Share Posted September 9, 2006 1973 is about the time that I started listening to the dead, but wasn't aware of the evolution of the band before garcia,weir, and lesh. just read that mickey hart (elvin bishop, starship) was in there as well, but makes sense that he was later in starship another frisco band. One of my favorite things was to follow the drum line in some of the songs with Billy and Mickey playing completely different things at times, and comletely syncronized at others. Mickey does some solo stuff with a group of African precussionists. I remember one Dead show where they had a wall of drums with two African dudes playing along with Micky and Billy. Next to Garcia, Pigpen was my favorite in the band. I started to listen to them around the same time due to my older sisters. They had good taste in music "Pigpen was a participant in each of the predecessor groups leading up to the formation of the Grateful Dead, beginning with the Zodiacs and then Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions. Bob Weir and Bob Matthews were added to the mix and evolved into The Warlocks. Around 1965, it was Pigpen who urged the rest of the Warlocks to go electric (around the time Phil Lesh would join and they became the Grateful Dead." While I love all the Deads work, and the members solo efforts............ The early stuff will always be my favorite. Rince is right on the money with those selections. Pigpen was almost as important to the band as Garcia in the early days. Next to Jerry, he was the next most versitile member of the band. "His musical contributions to the Grateful Dead included vocals, keyboards, harmonica, percussion, and guitar." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinsfanevan Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 aww, i love Pigpen good thread RIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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