Grateful Dead Through the Lens of John Rottet
John Rottet has been a Staff Photojournalist at The News and Observer in Raleigh, North Carolina for almost 30 years. He got turned onto the Grateful Dead one summer day in 1974 when his best friend, Mike, played the album "Mars Hotel" for him and a little light bulb went on over his head.

He lives out in the woods of northern Durham County with his wife, Beth, and two cats, Sierra and Mr. B.

Here are some of John's favorite images that he's captured over the years. Click on the pictures to zoom in and read a brief description of each shot: