1. The Grateful Dead Formed in 1965 in San Francisco
Lived in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood
Music was a mix of rock, folk, reggae, blugrass, country, jazz & psychedelic rock
Considered themselves a “street band”
Jerry Garcia considered by many as the leader of the group, but he and the rest of the band saw themselves as equals
Jerry Garcia – banjo, guitar
Bob Weir – guitar
Phil Lesh – bass
“Pigpen” McKernen - organ
Bill Sommers - drums

2. Played over 2000 concerts in their career
The core of the band stayed intact for 30 years, until Garcia’s death in 1995
Devoted fans are referred to as “Deadheads”
Important to the development of the psychedelic sound, as a result of becoming the house band for Ken Kesey’s Acid Test concerts
Grateful Dead albums never sold well
their fans preferred to see them live
Ranked #55 on Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Artists
1994 – 14 members inducted into RRHoF

3. Janis Joplin
B. 1/19/43, d. 10/4/70
Ran away from 17
Made a meager living singing in bars and clubs in Austin and Houston, TX
By 1965 – she was singing in SF and Venice, CA
Had dropped out of several colleges and was living off of unemployment
Returned to Austin to return to school and give up music
After a couple of months, she was invited back to SF to sing w/ Big Brother and the Holding Company
1967 – after success w/ her first LP, Cheap Thrill (#1) goes gold

4. Cheap Thrills had the hit Piece of My Heart (#12, 1968)
Became so big, began to overshadow the band & left in 1968
She formed the Kozmic Blues Band & released Kozmic Blues (1969)
Try (Just A Little Bit Harder)
Becoming increasingly addicted to alcohol and heroin
Despite her addictions, her life seemed to be turning around in 1970
She was engaged, had a new band & was recording Pearl
Me & Bobby McGee (#1, 1971)
Found dead in her hotel room 10/4/70 of a heroin overdose
Inducted into the RRHoF in 1995