By james art Watch fellow musicians honor Phil Lesh in Song: Phish, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Goose and more
Photo: Jay Blakesburg
Following the passing of beloved bassist Phil Lesh on Friday, October 25, there has been an outpouring of tributes in songs and covers pulled from the beloved Grateful Dead songbook. Many artists choose to go with American beauty classic, “Box of Rain,” composed by Lesh and lyricist Robert Hunter—and notably sung by the respected improvisational mastermind. Scroll down to see footage from the weekend, fellow musicians performing a tribute to Lesh.
Phish opened their three-day benefit for the Divided Sky Foundation at the MVP Arena in Albany, New York with “A Box of Rain.” Fellow bassist Mike Gordon donned a bracelet, saluting Lesh’s signature concert style. See photo here.
In Oakland, California, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead followed on the West Coast with a drummer-led performance of “Box of Rain.”
During Goose’s Oct. 25 performance, which doubled as a Hurricane Helen benefit in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, the band took time during their second set to pay tribute to Lesh in “Cold Rain and Snow,” followed by from Brokedown Palace. It should be noted that Rick Mitarotonda has previously collaborated with Lesh on stage, appearing on the Phil & Friends show at The Capitol Theater in 2022.
The Life Is a Carnival, Last Waltz Tour offered its own tribute to Lesh, with tour members Lucas Nelson, Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench and Ryan Bingham teaming up for a performance of the Grateful Dead’s “Truckin'” during a stop at the Boulder Theater.
Meanwhile, during a Wooded area stop at the Haw River Ballroom in Saxapahaw, North Carolina, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, with Paul Kowert, delivered a haunting and harmonious rendition of “Brokedown Palace.”
Meanwhile, Daniel Donato followed in his predecessor’s footsteps sweetly at New York’s Brooklyn Bowl, echoing the same author of American Beauty for the night at one of his venue-specific booths. Watch via the spacey country musician’s official Instagram account or the fan-shot video below.
The Sam Grisman Project delved into the Dead’s catalog, pulling out the emotional “Bird Song” as their tribute to Lesh on Friday night while performing at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Bristol, Virginia.
More tributes are sure to follow after the weekend; check back for additional coverage. i know ours love won’t go away