Friday, July 20, 2007

Happy Birthday, Keith !!



I'm a day late, but better late than never, I have always heard.

Keith Godchaux would have been 59 on Thursday(He died on July 23rd, 1980). He was the piano player for the Grateful Dead from 1971 until 1979.

I think there are people that love his playing, people that hate it.

I'm sort of in the middle. I definitely dig the sound of the piano, but it is a bit limited as well. I love his playing on U.S Blues(one of my favorite Dead tunes- Sorry, Jen), and I love a lot of his live playing. However, I am a big Brent fan, and I do like the versatility he brought when he joined the band. I often think it would be great to have been able to have PigPen, Keith and Brent all play together- that would be a hoot. Perhaps that's going on upstairs somewhere.

I would also like to add that I kinda like Keith's one vocal contribution to the band "Let Me Sing Your Blues Away" from Wake Of The Flood.

Happy birthday, Keith.

3 comments:

Zoooma said...

I especially loved Keith playing with the JGB. Sometimes with the GD he got lost behind all the other instruments but with the JGB he really helped complete their sound for a few years there in the 70's.

Jennifer said...

I don't mind the added piano but I think you're right it's limited. I love that picture. I don't know why people look so much better to me in black and white.

Deadman said...

Didn't know that was Keith on LMSYBA.

Loved the piano. And Keith and Donna. I know, blasphemy!