Grateful Dead

He was a freind of mine. Many of you will remember Mikel for his stickers, set list hand-outs and newsletters, and some of you will remember Mikel as one of the most kind and gentle souls you ever met. I didn't know him well, but Mikel was the kind of person who was sincerely kind and somehow made you feel special to him the instant that you met him. Mikel became the first person I would look for at a show, and I know I'm sepaking for many of you, because I stood in his own little "hug lines" many times. I will never forget Mikel. He taught me to try to pour as much kindness and compassion as you humanly can on others. He was a friend of mine.

Man pleads no contest in 2000 rest-stop slayingBy Jon Gambrell, The Associated Press Kristin Ann Laurite, 25, of Scotch Plains, N.J., found dead at the Morrilton rest stop in 2000. The Montanta prisoner accused of killing her pleaded no contest Tuesday in her death. 2007-06-12 16:02:00 LITTLE ROCK — A Montana prisoner pleaded no contest Tuesday to killing a New Jersey woman nearly seven years ago as she was stopped at an Interstate 40 rest stop in central Arkansas on a cross-country trip. Ronald James Ward, who is serving life in prison for another killing, was linked to the slaying of 25-year-old Kristin Laurite through DNA five years after the woman was stabbed repeatedly, sexually assaulted and left to die at the rest stop near Morrilton. Ward, 40, was arrested last year while in prison and returned to Arkansas over the weekend for his Conway County court appearance Tuesday. He initially told the court he would plead guilty. But after talking to a public defender, Ward changed his plea. He acknowledged he was responsible for Laurite’s death, although he claimed he couldn’t remember it because he had been high on “******, moonshine and *******,” Prosecutor Tom Tatum said. AP/Montana Department of Corrections Ronald James Ward pleaded no contest to the 2000 rest-stop slaying of a New Jersey woman. Tatum described Ward as a drifter who moved between West Virginia and Montana. Sentencing is tentatively scheduled for Thursday. The prosecutor said Ward had agreed to a life sentence. Laurite’s mother Lynn DiBenedetto expressed love for her daughter, and relief. “Finally, justice will be served for the brutal murder of my daughter,” DiBenedetto said in an e-mail to reporters. “Although the pain never goes away, I will finally get some peace of mind knowing that this alleged predator will never again be a part of society.” Laurite left her New Jersey home on a trip to Eureka, Calif., planning to take a job at a day-care center along California’s north coast. By Aug. 25, 2000, she made it to Arkansas, stopping her yellow 1972 Volkswagen van at the Morrilton rest stop to splash water on her face and let her dogs play at a nearby pond. The next day, truckers noticed one of Laurite’s dogs running loose. The trucker called the number on the dog’s tag, finding Laurite’s mother. Laurite’s dogs led officers to her body, dragged down toward the pond. The rest stop, where another murder occurred three years earlier, was closed by the state, and Laurite’s family put up a billboard along the well-traveled highway with a picture of the slain young woman. The image remained up for years, with the plea: “Do you know who murdered me?” Tatum said he was “surprised” by the no contest plea. “I figured we would be in for a long trial because the investigation took place over so many years,” Tatum said. “I think it helped the family quite a bit and it certainly helped the state, too.” Morrilton lawyer John Irwin said Ward didn’t understand the judge’s explanation about the consequences of representing himself so the judge appointed Irwin to represent the Montana convict. “His education level is about fourth grade. He is not dumb. He is unlearned,” Irwin said. “The easiest thing to do would be to have a lawyer.” Citing lawyer-client confidentiality, Irwin declined to talk about other aspects of the case. _______________ insert obligatory signature here

My good bro' from hanging out on Telegraph Ave from 87-92. He had a bit of a drug problem as certain loved ones did but he was a peaceful wonderful soul! I think it was 1991 when he passed on. There was an incident with a van of family coming down a mountain outside of Santa Cruz. The brakes failed. George had to help the petite and very pregnant girl, Carrie, who was trying to keep the vehicle on the road. He leaned across and guided the vehicle around the curves but it eventually rolled. He saved them from going off the side of the road! He also shielded Carrie from harm but got crushed under the van after going through the window in the process. I still have one of his tye-dyes the others gave me after the accident. I think about him often. He'll always be with us. Are you kind?

Jim was a kid who was one of the Haight St crew from the late eighties - early nineties scene. Also a regular tour cat! One of the who's who faces in the crowd. A really sweet guy! Yup, another with a drug habit unfortunately! From what I heard he got thrown into jail in SF and either hung himself or was hung by the guards or inmates. Some smack dealer apparently wanted him offed but I don't know the truth about that. It was all very shady and it would be nice to know if anyone has anymore info on this. Peace! Are you kind?

Another wonderful and sweet brother. He was usually to be found on Telegraph hanging out or in People's Park when it was still relatively hassle-free to do our thing there. He was a really fun cat! I don't know the exact details of his passing so I don't think I should write what I think I remember being told. His ex told me that his parents lived in El Cerrito at that time but I didn't find any listing in the phone directory for that area with that name last time I checked. Any more info on this would be wonderful! He was such a classic head! Shining on forever!!! Are you kind?

A really beautiful sister in so many ways! I heard she died from an overdose. She was into smack. You would never have known to look at her. I had a really freaky experience once. When I was at a Hare Krishna restaurant in New Zealand two girls came in with backpacks and were in line next to me. One with intense blue eyes. They had American accents so I said "hi"! We started to chat. The one said she was from Philly. I said I had a friend from there who died from an overdose. We locked eyes and both said her name at exactly the same time. Wow.........! I felt the presence of Candy standing in the space that was there where we three stood. Powerful! What are the chances of such a thing being coincidence? It wasn't a coincidence, of course. I think Candy was just trying to connect the energy and to send me a little message of love to give me strength at a trying time in my life when I really needed it and was going through some of the toughest times I've ever had! She was a good family sister and will always be missed. Gotta make it to the promised land...! Are you kind?

A great bro' who spent the later few years of his life based up in Humboldt with his good brother Tom. They lived in a cool dome house! Joe was a fixture in the scene during the era my other friends (see above) and I were around. He was also a fine guitar player who I would have loved to have formed a band with. Sadly it was not to be! Another brother who passed due to a smack overdose. He'd been clean for awhile and relapsed. I would hope that all these losses set an example to our family to not waste our lives in this way. We should do something with our lives to spread the light we have found. I know we are more sensitive people than the rest, but we can't find true shelter in drug abuse. It's just an illusion. We need to look at the way the native Americans embrace sacrament use instead of abusing it. We're given an insight that we need to go out and spread not dull with addictive substances. We have shed too many tears! We need each other here-to support each other in our works. Let's keep on keeping on! Are you kind?

Brad was a good kid from NJ who got into it in the early nineties. He had a nice family and was a solid drummer! A solidly built guy who wore glasses, kinda thick lenses! He was a mellow cat, a lotta fun, too much sometimes! This especially worried me the last time I saw him at the Charlotte shows in '92. He was really messy! Doped out. I was worried he'd get popped as he seemed desperate to make some $ on the lot. I told him to cool it as it was crazy hot out there! He ended up getting put away sometime later. I think he did 2 years in a rehab style bootcamp in NY State. He was clean and started going to college after he got out. He had a nice girlfriend. I remember getting a piece of mail with his address and being really stoked. I opened it and there were photos of him. His mother and brother had written that he'd gone down to NYC to buy some "shirts" from a dude whose name rang a bell. They decided to party for old times sake. He overdosed! We have such blessings, why gamble everything for a buzz? We all need to ask ourselves this question at certain times I'm sure. Love and Light, J Are you kind?

Marty was a good friend of mine while I was stationed in Puerto Rico in the mid '90s. He was the proprietor of the Grateful Bed and Breakfast in Luquillo Puerto Rico. Sadly he died in a fire at his bed and breakfast in early 2001. I first met Marty not long after Jerry died. At the time I was new to the Navy (only out of bootcamp for a few months), and with news of Jerry's passing, I kind of sunk into the proverbial funk. I have family down there, but they had no idea who Jerry Garcia was (my great aunt thought he was a Puerto Rican salsa musician:) ) My barracks-mate found a copy of "Skeleton's Key" at the Exchange and picked it up for me, hoping to cheer me up. One evening, while flipping through the book, I came across the name and address for Marty's bed and breakfast. Holy crap, I thought, that just 20 minutes from base! I called and talked for a while to Marty. I took a few days leave and headed down. It was the hight of summer (the off-season) so I was the only guest. It was nice to hang out with another deadhead after all the previous months of military yahoos. Finally, someone who really understood the gravity of Jerry's death (most of my fellow shipmates made snide jokes to me about Jerry's death). It was a nice weekend. Because I was his only guest, we hung out, visiting his friends in the rain forest, hiking, and BSing. I also taped a ton of shows from his vast collection:) Every few weeks we'd get together for dinner or just to hang out and listen to tunes, talk politics, the Dead, and drink rum and cokes. I can't tell you how nice it was to have a deadhead friend down there. It was a nice escape from the military. Not long after, I was transfered to the fleet, and sent to the "four winds." We exchanged a few letters, but as these things often go, I lost touch. News of his passing saddened and angered me. I felt bad that I had lost touch. He was a great guy, attempting to create a little deadhead enclave in the middle of paradise. He is missed. Fare-thee-well Marty! Your friend, Mike. Yo Soy Boricua!

Hey all, I was saddened to hear the news today of a former player I coached being murdered in Conway NH yesterday in an apparent botched robbery. Billy was one of three people killed. My heart goes out to his family at this time of sorrow; his parents and other brothers two of which I also coached.

Great guys that were taken in their prime. Both tragic losses for all involved.Both big fans of Jerry and the fellas. Although Burton could be a handfull at times, there was nothing but love going on here. Both were great atheletes, one basketball and golf and Burton was a gifted scoccer midfielder. Gone but never forgotten Fare the well...my brothers. “The Omnipotent Grateful Dead!”

Paul loved the Dead. Paul played his red gibson and he sounded alot like Jerry. Paul was a great friend. We moved out west together in 1984. I taught you how to ski and snowboard. You picked both up and you actually skiied really well. I remember when we hiked into the backcountry by Brighton and your leg fell into that hole and the snow froze and we couldn't get your leg out. I thought you were going to leave us right there. We had fun at the Snowbird, too. Life happened and you moved back east. Speedballs and wild turkey proved to be a bad combination. Paul had a thirst for the fast life. Paul also had a huge bootleg collection. I still have some that I borrowed. Morgantown '83 and Hershey '85, my favorite. I have a graet picture of you at Redrocks '84. I'll post it when I figure out how. You live in my mind Paul. Rest in peace!

Hey Now! For all those who knew him, Pauli is gone. I heard from The Balloon Lady that he passed away sometime in 2006 in San Francisco. He was apparently homeless and died on the road. He had become mentally unstable after years of "too much of everything". He was one of my best friends, a graduate of the "University of Space", a father, and a son. He is survived by his mother in Missouri. We had many a great adventure together. Pauli remains alive in our hearts, minds, and memories. "Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right" Peace, Jim & Zoe

Bill had long wavy red hair and a red beard. He always used to wear a cap with a Hot Tuna patch on it. I think it was a blue cap, Chinese type. I met him in NYC between shows. I was broke and he helped me out. We hit up the Floyd shows at Nassau and made our way down to the Capital Centre by train and hitching for the boys. He told me a weird story about his childhood which lead me to believe he was from the mid west perhaps. I remember catching up with him on the Haight and then at MSG during the Rainforest run. He passed out in a car next to me after booting dope. Worrying! Later he told me someone had taken his money while he was out! Something I never liked about NYC shows, THAT kinda stuff! A bro' named Tanith told me he'd read a newspaper article that said Bill had been shot in the head in Alphabet City. We guessed he'd been trying to score and got robbed! He was a really far out brother and sadly missed! Peace to u where ever u are brother!!! Are you kind?

Hey All 17 years ago today we lost our brother Brent

I lost my Sister this past October 17,2006. ( my birthday too) to breast cancer. Her name is Patty, she was my sister and best friend for 47 years! We went to all of our Dead shows together. We loved to party in the parking lots and shopping on Shakedown street.We would dance and spin to the music til we all fell down. I love her and will miss her everyday for the rest of my life! I hope you are dancin with Jerry now! Peace Patty.... I will miss you always!

Just wanted to say Happy Birthday Jerry...I really miss you...in this world. Thanks again for the positive... influence, and the light...what a beautiful sunrise your sunset left. And after 198 shows... sometimes ...WoW far~out...Love, ~SAGE~ Love One Another

To Shog, my roomate at college, who turned me onto so many new things, but I got to turn you onto the dead. PS I can actually listen to the Scorps now. Thanks for being my friend. I miss you everyday!!! To Randy agreat friend whom I miss everyday also. Remember the floyd shows. How about that drawing of Jerry you bought at Silver stadium. Yes, I still have it and it will be my sons someday. THANKS Please watch over me and my family and I will see you both again someday PEACE!!

Karl, my brother-in-law and friend. He was more of a little brother to me as I'vw known him since he was 12. He was a good uncle to my kids and always brought joy and fun to wherever he was. At a Steely Dan show back in the early 90's, we were about the 10th row. While the rest of the slightly older gen was being layed back, we were partying our faces off. Karl rips of his shirt and starts swinging it around, hooting and holloring like the Dead just came on stage. We stood out like sore thumbs, but it was funny as shit.Karl was killed in a car accident near the Jersey shore early Friday morning. His 37th birhtday is this Mon. I miss and love him more than words can tell. We'll meet again in the after life, my brother.

Regrettably, I never made it to the club but enjoyed those bands that may have never been apart of the music scene without Hilly. CBGB Founder Kristal Dies at 75 By LARRY McSHANE, Associated Press Writer Wed Aug 29, 4:30 PM NEW YORK - Hilly Kristal had no idea what he was unleashing when he welcomed a rash of unknown bands onstage in his dank Bowery dive: Television, the Ramones, Blondie, Talking Heads, the Patti Smith Group. Kristal, a New Jersey farm boy whose musical tastes ran to tamer fare, had opened CBGB as a haven for country, blues and bluegrass music. Instead, his cramped club became the epicenter of the punk rock movement, setting off a three-chord musical revolution that spread around the world. Kristal, 75, died of complications from lung cancer at a Manhattan hospice after a long fight with the disease, his family announced Wednesday. CBGB closed last October with a blowout concert by Smith and her band, ending a 33-year run for the dingy space where Kristal operated from a small desk just inside the entrance with its familiar white awning. "He created a club that started on a small, out-of-the-way skid row, and saw it go around the world," said Lenny Kaye, a longtime member of the Patti Smith Group. "Everywhere you travel around the world, you saw somebody wearing a CBGB T-shirt. "It was a real rallying point for musicians trying something different." At the club's boarded-up storefront Wednesday morning, a spray-painted message read, "RIP Hilly, we'll miss you, thank you." There were also a dozen candles, two bunches of flowers and a foam rubber baseball bat _ an apparent tribute to the Ramones' classic "Beat on the Brat." David Byrne, lead singer with Talking Heads, remembered Kristal's low-key demeanor and generosity. "Other clubs were all about models and beautiful people, and he was about letting the musicians in for free, to hear music and get cheap beers," Byrne said. "It automatically created a scene, and we'd just hang out all night." Kristal was an unlikely avatar of punk music, opening his own club in 1973 after booking acts such as Miles Davis at the Village Vanguard. "At first, they didn't play so well," he once said of the seminal punk bands that came to CBGB. But he became a beloved figure to the performers who used his small venue as a launching pad to stardom, including several that reached the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He also served as manager for the Dead Boys, whose appeal was summed up by their album title "Young Loud & Snotty." "In an era when disco was the mainstream, Hilly took a chance and gambled," said drummer Marky Ramone. "The gamble paid off for him and for us. We are all grateful to him." The influence of Kristal's club was pervasive, extending to generations of bands around the country and the globe. Even the landlord who finally evicted Kristal from CBGB first kissed his wife inside its walls, which were plastered with mementoes from bands across the decades. Kristal's plans for a club attuned to his tastes disappeared when Television, led by Tom Verlaine, began playing Sunday nights in the mid-1970s. Other bands were soon joining them, and CBGB became the place for punk fans to mingle with performers like Joey Ramone, Debbie Harry or the doomed Sid Vicious. The club lasted into the next century, still adhering to Kristal's insistence that it would only book bands playing original material. He started a lucrative CBGB marketing arm, selling T-shirts and accessories with the club's familiar logo. In recent years, CBGB became embroiled in a bitter rent fight with its landlord, the Bowery Residents' Committee, an agency housing the homeless. Despite the efforts of musicians to keep the club open, Kristal _ who owed a reported $300,000 in back rent _ agreed to vacate the club last October. Kristal, who once hoped to have his own singing career, was survived by son Mark Dana; daughter Lisa Kristal Burgman and her husband Ger; two grandchildren, "and the thousands of artists and musicians who played the club," the family said in a statement. "All energy flows according to the whims of the Great Magnet. What a fool I was to defy him."

nice article golden road. there goes another brave independent spirit nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile

Sorry folks but I felt it necessary to post this sad news. NB were a great band. My condolences to everyone affected by this loss. Member of New Bohemians Fatally Shot By JEFF CARLTON, Associated Press Writer 1 hour ago DALLAS - Jeffrey Carter Albrecht, a keyboard player for the band Edie Brickell & New Bohemians, was shot to death early Monday while trying to kick in the door of his girlfriend's neighbor, police said. The neighbor believed a burglar was trying to break in and fired a shot through the door around 4 a.m., Dallas police spokesman Sgt. Gil Cerda said. Albrecht, 34, died at the scene. It was not clear why Albrecht went to the house and the case is under investigation. No arrests have been made. "He was at his girlfriend's house last night," said Danny Balis, Albrecht's roommate. "He left the house and went next door and _ for whatever reason, which we don't know _ he knocked on the neighbor's door. And from what I understand, he was persistent. I don't know if there was a verbal exchange, but the person panicked and fired a shot through the door." The death of Albrecht, who also played keyboard and guitar and sang in the Dallas rock band Sorta with Balis, stunned friends and those who knew him in the North Texas music community. "He is not a violent person," said Carrie Garcia, Sorta's manager. "He is cool as a cucumber, shy, always wanted to make a joke in a situation that may be a little tense." Albrecht, who went by his middle name, had been with the New Bohemians since 1999, according to the band's Web site. Albrecht played several times with Brickell's husband, Paul Simon, Garcia said. He also played with Texas musician Charlie Sexton, a renowned guitarist. Albrecht was working on a solo album that Balis called "the best thing he has ever done." "He was the best musician I've ever played with _ no question," Balis said. "He could play anything. It's a shame not enough people outside of Dallas heard him." The Dude Abides!

Thanks Maestro! By ALESSANDRA RIZZO, Associated Press Writer 8 minutes ago ROME - Luciano Pavarotti, whose vibrant high C's and ebullient showmanship made him one of the world's most beloved tenors, died Thursday, his manager told The Associated Press. He was 71. His manager, Terri Robson, told the AP in an e-mailed statement that Pavarotti died at his home in Modena, Italy, at 5 a.m. local time. Pavarotti had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year and underwent further treatment in August. "The Maestro fought a long, tough battle against the pancreatic cancer which eventually took his life. In fitting with the approach that characterised his life and work, he remained positive until finally succumbing to the last stages of his illness," the statement said. For serious fans, the unforced beauty and thrilling urgency of Pavarotti's voice made him the ideal interpreter of the Italian lyric repertory, especially in the 1960s and '70s when he first achieved stardom. For millions more, his charismatic performances of standards like "Nessun dorma" from Puccini's "Turandot" came to represent what opera is all about. Instantly recognizable from his charcoal black beard and tuxedo-busting girth, Pavarotti radiated an intangible magic that helped him win hearts in a way Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras — his partners in the "Three Tenors" concerts — never quite could. "I always admired the God-given glory of his voice — that unmistakable special timbre from the bottom up to the very top of the tenor range," Domingo said in a statement from Los Angeles. "I also loved his wonderful sense of humor and on several occasions of our concerts with Jose Carreras — the so-called Three Tenors concerts — we had trouble remembering that we were giving a concert before a paying audience, because we had so much fun between ourselves," he said. The tenor, who seemed equally at ease singing with soprano Joan Sutherland as with the Spice Girls, scoffed at accusations that he was sacrificing his art in favor of commercialism. "The word commercial is exactly what we want," he said, after appearing in the widely publicized "Three Tenors" concerts. "We've reached 1.5 billion people with opera. If you want to use the word commercial, or something more derogatory, we don't care. Use whatever you want." In the annals of that rare and coddled breed, the operatic tenor, it may well be said the 20th century began with Enrico Caruso and ended with Pavarotti. Other tenors — Domingo included — may have drawn more praise from critics for their artistic range and insights, but none could equal the combination of natural talent and personal charm that so endeared him to audiences. "Pavarotti is the biggest superstar of all," the late New York Times music critic Harold Schonberg once said. "He's correspondingly more spoiled than anybody else. They think they can get away with anything. Thanks to the glory of his voice, he probably can." In his heyday, he was known as the "King of the High C's" for the ease with which he tossed off difficult top notes. In fact it was his ability to hit nine glorious high C's in quick succession that first turned him into an international superstar singing Tonio's aria "Ah! Mes amis," in Donizetti's "La Fille du Regiment" at New York's Metropolitan Opera in 1972. In the 1990s, Pavarotti's teaming with Domingo and Carreras became a music business phenomenon and spawned copycats such as the Three Irish Tenors. Pavarotti starred in a film called "Yes, Giorgio" (though its failure scuttled his hopes for a Hollywood career) and appeared in a filmed version of "Rigoletto." He wrote an autobiography, "I, Luciano Pavarotti," and made more than 90 recordings. From Beijing to Buenos Aires, people immediately recognized his incandescent smile and lumbering bulk, clutching a white handkerchief as he sang arias and Neapolitan folk songs, pop numbers and Christmas carols for hundreds of thousands in outdoor concerts. His name seemed to show up as much in gossip columns as serious music reviews, particularly after he split with Adua Veroni, his wife of 35 years and mother of their three daughters, and then took up with his 26-year-old secretary in 1996. In late 2003, he married Nicoletta Mantovani in a lavish, star-studded ceremony. Pavarotti said their daughter Alice, nearly a year old at the time of the wedding, was the main reason he and Mantovani finally wed after years together. In the latter part of his career, some music critics cited what they saw as an increasing tendency toward the vulgar and the commercial. He came under fire for canceling performances or pandering to the lowest common denominator in his choice of programs, or for the Three Tenors tours and their millions of dollars in fees. He was criticized for lip-synching at a concert in Modena, Italy, his hometown. An artist accused him of copying her works from a how-to-draw book and selling the paintings. The son of a baker who was an amateur singer, Pavarotti was born Oct. 12, 1935, in Modena. He had a meager upbringing, though he said it was rich with happiness. "Our family had very little, but I couldn't imagine one could have any more," Pavarotti said. As a boy, Pavarotti showed more interest in soccer than his studies, but he also was fond of listening to his father's recordings of tenor greats like Beniamino Gigli, Tito Schipa, Jussi Bjoerling and Giuseppe Di Stefano, his favorite. Among his close childhood friends was Mirella Freni, who would eventually become a soprano and an opera great herself. The two studied singing together and years later ended up making records and concerts together, according to Elvio Giudici, an Italian opera critic. In his teens, Pavarotti joined his father, also a tenor, in the church choir and local opera chorus. He was influenced by the American movie actor-singer Mario Lanza. "In my teens I used to go to Mario Lanza movies and then come home and imitate him in the mirror," Pavarotti said. Singing was still nothing more than a passion while Pavarotti trained to become a teacher and began working in a school. But at 20, he traveled with his chorus to an international music competition in Wales. The Modena group won first place, and Pavarotti began to dedicate himself to singing. With the encouragement of his then fiancee, Adua Veroni, he started lessons, selling insurance to pay for them. He studied with Arrigo Pola and later Ettore Campogalliani. In 1961, Pavarotti won a local voice competition and with it a debut as Rodolfo in Puccini's "La Boheme." He followed with a series of successes in small opera houses throughout Europe before his 1963 debut at Covent Garden in London, where he stood in for Di Stefano as Rodolfo. Having impressed conductor Richard Bonynge, Pavarotti was given a role opposite Bonynge's wife, soprano Joan Sutherland, in a Miami production of "Lucia di Lamermoor." They subsequently signed him for a 14-week tour of Australia. It was the recognition Pavarotti needed to launch his career. He also credited Sutherland with teaching him how to breathe correctly. In the following years, Pavarotti made a series of major debuts, appearing at La Scala in Milan in 1965, San Francisco in 1967 and New York's Metropolitan Opera House in 1968. Other early venues included Vienna, Paris and Chicago. Throughout his career, Pavarotti struggled with a much-publicized weight problem. His love of food caused him to balloon to a reported high of 396 pounds in 1978. "Maybe this time I'll really do it and keep it up," he said during one of his constant attempts at dieting. Pavarotti, who had been trained as a lyric tenor, began taking on heavier dramatic tenor roles, such as Manrico in Verdi's "Trovatore" and the title role in "Otello." Pavarotti often drew comparisons with Domingo, his most notable contemporary. Aficionados judged Domingo the more complete and consistent musician, but he never captured the public imagination like Pavarotti. Though there appeared to be professional jealousy between the great singers, Pavarotti claimed he preferred to judge himself only against his earlier performances. In the mid-1970s, Pavarotti became a true media star. He appeared in television commercials and began appearing in hugely lucrative mega-concerts outdoors and in stadiums around the world. Soon came joint concerts with pop stars. A concert in New York's Central Park in 1993 drew 500,000 fans. Pavarotti's recording of "Volare" went platinum in 1988. In 1990, he appeared with Domingo and Carreras in a concert at the Baths of Caracalla in Rome for the end of soccer's World Cup. The concert was a huge success, and the record known as "The Three Tenors" was a best-seller and was nominated for two Grammy awards. The video sold over 750,000 copies. The three-tenor extravaganza became a mini-industry. With a follow-up album recorded at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles in 1994, the three have outsold every other performer of classical music. A 1996 tour earned each tenor an estimated $10 million. Pavarotti liked to mingle with pop stars in his series of charity concerts, "Pavarotti & Friends," held annually in Modena. He performed with artists as varied as Ricky Martin, James Brown and the Spice Girls. The performances raised some eyebrows but he always shrugged off the criticism. Some say the "word pop is a derogatory word to say 'not important' — I do not accept that," Pavarotti said in a 2004 interview with the AP. "If the word classic is the word to say 'boring,' I do not accept. There is good and bad music." It was not just his annual extravaganza that saw Pavarotti involved in humanitarian work. During the 1992-95 Bosnia war, he collected humanitarian aid along with U2 lead singer Bono, and after the war he financed and established the Pavarotti Music Center in the southern city of Mostar to offer Bosnia's artists the opportunity to develop their skills. He performed at benefit concerts to raise money for victims of tragedies such as an earthquake in December 1988 that killed 25,000 people in northern Armenia. Pavarotti was also dogged by accusations of tax evasion, and in 2000 he agreed to pay nearly roughly $12 million to the Italian state after he had unsuccessfully claimed that the tax haven of Monte Carlo rather than Italy was his official residence. He had been accused in 1996 of filing false tax returns for 1989-91. Pavarotti always denied wrongdoing, saying he paid taxes wherever he performed. But, upon agreeing to the settlement, he said: "I cannot live being thought not a good person." Pavarotti was preparing to leave New York in July 2006 to resume a farewell tour when doctors discovered a malignant pancreatic mass, his manager Terri Robson said at the time. He underwent surgery in a New York hospital, and all his remaining 2006 concerts were canceled. Pancreatic cancer is one of the most dangerous forms of the disease, though doctors said the surgery offered improved hopes for survival. "I was a fortunate and happy man," Pavarotti told Italian daily Corriere della Sera in an interview published about a month after the surgery. "After that, this blow arrived." "And now I am paying the penalty for this fortune and happiness," he told the newspaper. Fans were still waiting for a public appearance a year after his surgery. In the summer of 2007, Pavarotti taught a group of selected students and worked on a recording of sacred songs, a work expected to be released in early 2008, according to his manager. He mostly divided his time between his home town, Modena, and his villa in the Adriatic seaside resort of Pesaro. Faced with speculation that the tenor was near death, Mantovani, his second wife, told Italian newspaper La Stampa in July 2007: "He's fighting like a lion and he has never lost his heart." Pavarotti had three daughters with his first wife, Lorenza, Cristina and Giuliana; and one, Alice, with his second wife. The Dude Abides!

Why do they happen in bunches? In related news, a person familiar with Carter Albrecht, of The New Bohemians, has shed some interesting light on that tragedy and may well be of interest to folks here and in general. Apparently, Carter was taking an oral medication for smoking cessation called Chantix (Varenicline) made by Pfizer. This medication has been reported to cause several disturbing psychotic side effects, in some people. Also, combined with alcohol, this drug can have "synergistic" amplification effects. For anyone unfamiliar with what synergistic reactions involve, only one word need to be uttered, UNPREDICTABLE. It would be the equivalent of a mathematical formula such as this: 2 + 8 = 27. In other words, no one can predict or claim to understand the effect of combining such substances. As my 5th grade science teacher once told me, "a word to the wise is sufficient!" "All energy flows according to the whims of the Great Magnet. What a fool I was to defy him."

This from his website Joe Zawinul was born in Earth time on 07 July 1932 and was born in Eternity time on 11 September, 2007. He, and his music, will continue to inspire! Great musician, great man. Time to pull out 'In a Silent Way' or 'Bitches Brew' and some Weather Report too. If you don't know him here is one obit Eclectic Keyboardist Joe Zawinul Dies at 75 Joe Zawinul helped bring the volume, distortion and electronics of rock into jazz through his work with Miles Davis and the group Weather Report. Zawinul died of cancer early Tuesday morning. He was 75. What came to be called jazz-rock fusion drew howls of protest from purists. But it also drew praise from others for broadening the audience for jazz. In the 1960s, playing in Cannonball Adderley's band, Zawinul penned his first hit: "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy." Pianist Herbie Hancock became friends with Zawinul right around the time Adderley's quintet recorded that tune. He says the composition surprised him. "For a white Viennese boy to write a tune that's that black is pretty remarkable," Hancock says. "He just captured the essence of the African-American heritage, just the statement of melody and feeling of that song. Clearly, in some past life, Joe must've been black." Zawinul may have had the instincts of a jazz musician, but he also worked at it. He came from a poor Viennese family. His twin brother died when he was 4. He learned to play the accordion when he was 6, was accepted in the Vienna Conservatory and wound up at Boston's Berklee College of Music in 1958. He didn't stay long: He was hired away by Maynard Ferguson, landed a job with singer Dinah Washington, and then joined Adderley's group. Eventually, Zawinul wanted to find his own sound. The electric keyboard he used on "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" pointed toward his future. He went on to compose "In A Silent Way," the title track for one of Miles Davis' earliest experiments in electronics. In 1970, Zawinul, with saxophonist Wayne Shorter, founded Weather Report, a group that had a dramatic impact on jazz. The band stormed concert halls at a time when rock had driven mainstream jazz to the margins. Alex Acuna played percussion with the band. He says Shorter and Zawinul had a specific vision about where they wanted to go with their music. "The vision was to make a band that makes music with all the sounds that the world generates," Acuna says. Acuna stayed close to Joe Zawinul over the years, and also played with Zawinul in his later group, the Joe Zawinul Syndicate. Acuna says Zawinul was a big fan of sports, especially boxing. He had a reputation for being gruff, but Acuna says he was just honest and direct. And musically, he didn't like to repeat himself

our loving friend & brother dave graham a.k.a. blind dave, passed on early yesterday morning, atleast now he is no longer in pain, & he is hanging with pappa, & many other old friends lost !!!! there is a memorial being held tomorrow sunday 9/16/07 at the home of joel & liz klein. joel & liz klein 3757 n. wayne st. chicago, il 60613 please call (773) 477-3946 or (773) 793-1010 for more info.... if you knew dave personally, & would like more info about his passing, please leave me a personal message, & i will contact you a.s.a.p... or post a reply with your info, & i will contact you a.s.a.p.... please post any stories you may have, & they will be read aloud at the memorial thank you kindly: jcap

I just read, in our local newspaper, that another of my childhood heroes has died. Jake Einstein started a radio station in my home area, known as WHFS, which was immediately coined "Progressive Radio" because he allowed his DJ's to play the music they were familiar with regardless of the pressures of record labels and promoters. Many times, DJ's at the station would play the "B" sides of the popular songs by artists whose more complex work and art lie buried in the tracks of albums, never heard by larges segments of American audiences, on their way to and from school and work. When the station first opened, they resided in Rockville, MD. at 103.1 FM and as a high schooler, working for my cousin's stone contracting business on the 100K (wow that was a ton of $$$ in those days) homes in Potomac, MD., I mixed mortar and hauled stone for the masons installing the house fronts, fireplaces and retaining walls to the sounds of all my favorite music and that which I had never heard, as the weak, homegrown signal came in loud and clear. It made my life bearable, in those days. As an adult, I came to live and work across town and my trips to the Rockville area became scant and I missed the station very much. Miraculously, the station pulled up stakes and moved to Lanham, MD. where I was close enough to listen practically every day, at work. Ultimately Mr. Einstein sold the station to a conglomerate, back in the mid 80's and it's demise was realized. Before it passed into the new owners' hands, Jake treated us, his fans, to 24 hrs. of commercial free radio that to this day, was a great experience for me. Along that same period of time, I moved my family to a little community on the Chesapeake bay between Washington and Annapolis, MD. and while scanning the air waves for something different, one evening, I heard the sound of a familiar voice, Damien Einstein, the son of owner Jake Einstein. They had started a new station in Annapolis, called WRNR!!! I've been listening ever since. A few years ago, Jake retired and the station was run much as it had been with small changes occasionally made to keep up with the commercialized society we all know is here to stay. Recently and quietly, the station again changed hands and Damien also retired. It's still a great radio station with awesome folks trying to do what appears to be impossible in today's world which is keep themselves original and not sway to the massive markets that are moving formats away from Rock-N-Roll (RNR) as demographics swallow the memories of my childhood in the social upheaval of immigration and financial take overs. My time is coming as well. I can feel it with each headline that tolls the end of our Golden Age that was made possible by folks like Jake Einstein. Thanks Jake, I'll never forget what you did for my life and Rock-N-Roll. The Dude Abides!

that was such a wonderful sentiment. i'm sure jake is smiling down, knowing that he DID make a difference. ROCK ON BRO!! peace nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile

Jim Blackfeather passed Saturday, September 29, 2007. His grandchild was born on the full moon September 2007. His life changed the world! Memorial: October 6, 2007 P.M., central daylight time, Melbourne, Arkansas U.S.A.Kit

Don't forget about our favorite mexican on those days (Oct 31st-Nov 2nd). Light a candle, pour a cup of hot chocolate and leave a fatty behind in memory of our beloved Jerry on this most appropriate named holiday!! Muchos GARCIAS

Rebecca L passed away 2 years ago on dec. 17, 2005. Her beautiful spirit lives on. Mother Nature and the giant Redwoods embrace her. I miss ya Becki .Love, cosmic muffin.

I miss her Christmas spirit, we always shopped together. it's not the same without her :(Jerry Christmas Patty!!

nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile

for your loss gypsy soul! Memories last forever :) Peace

May he be with great peace. We share the same birthplace, Peoria, Illinois.His songs take me back to the mellow days of the 70's If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is, infinite. William Blake

Colleen died on April 6, 2006 after a long battle with the bottle. Cancer of the soul is what I call it. She left behind three wonderful children and myself. I first met her in a bar on 12-14-90. She was working and I just stopped in for a beer. I told her "you are the girl for me". She laughed and we were together until the end. Even though we divorced we still we linked. She never heard of the Dead but went anyway. She wasn't the biggest fan, but she liked that I always had a good time. She held my hand when nthe news of Jerry's passing came down. Never met anyone like before or sense. We miss her everyday.

sorry for your loss. Colleen is in peace now!

My mom's mom and grandma both died on Christmas, one in 1926 and the other in 1990. Makes the holiday extra special for us all if you know what I mean.

Merry Christmas to my sister Patty amd my Mom! Peace, I love & miss you both!

Hey everybody, I just wanted to mention Johnny toast even though he has been gone now for 15 years. It was important to him for people to never forget him. He was a hard person to forget but time does weaken the memory. He was full of so much life, crazier than ever. And one of the greatest people I ever knew.

Chad you enlightened us with your free spirit and you will continue to do that with the ones you have lost.Chad at the young age of 30 left this earth to be reunited with family and friends he had lost but now has found. We love you and will miss you and you will be forever in our hearts and our souls. 1977-2008

My friend Duke passed away this week: a service in his memory is 3/29 in McPherson, KSHe and I enjoyed plenty of good shows in and around the midwest USA. He may have gone to Europe in 1990, as well as to a few 60's shows out in California. Take out your Live Dead album and put the needle on Death Don't Have no Mercy, will ya? R.I P.

Hey folks.It's about 5am and I can't sleep. Feeling a little sentimental. A weird thing happened the other night; I went to this loft / art space / gallery on the fifth floor of some old rundown building downtown Detroit, and the minute I walked in, I'm thinking, man, I've been here before. As I made my way in and looked around, I was sure of it. I had been there, about 15 years ago now, when my friend Jason and a bunch of other folks were living there just after high school. Anyone who went to shows from 92-95 might remember Jason - he stuck out in any crowd, even a lot full of freaks (and I use that term in the most endearing sense). Tall and skinny, always wearing big ol' clunky army boots as he swaggered around, gesturing wildly and talking loudly and enthusiastically to everyone about everything. He was constantly coming up with stupid sayings that would make the rest of us shrug and roll our eyes, though in retrospect I think it was certainly some form of wild-eyed Zen. And we'd always laugh. Some people didn't like Jason, not at first anyway; they'd get turned off by his loud and often obnoxious behavior and mannerisms. But anyone who took about 5 minutes to get to know him loved him. He really had a heart of gold. This was a guy who'd give anything he owned to anybody he thought needed it, or even just kind of liked it. He gave me my first instrument, back in high school, practically demanding I take his bass when I showed an interest in it. It lived with me for over a year while I got a handle on it. Jason's ten years gone now, though sometimes it feels like we were still palling around just yesterday. Other times it feels like several lifetimes ago. I guess the car he was in (as a passenger) slid off of a snowy Colorado mountain road and wrapped itself around a tree. Man, I sure do miss that guy.