Email from Doug White, posted with permission. He heard his friend Jason Rappaport’s guest DJ appearance on last night’s Dead to the World. (You can listen on the KPFA archive until April 4; the playlist is posted here).
Hey man. I’ve never written you before but I have seen you live at the Fillmore doing a poster room show before TLG for a Rex benefit. I loved your interpretations of the songs and I’m a fan for sure. I also love the Tales from the Golden Road on Sirius.
I never got to see Jerry live. It is something that I’ve regretted ever since I became a Deadhead in 1990. I was always saying “I’ll catch them next time”. Since I was living in Richmond, VA and relatively poor at the time it was difficult to be able to afford to travel. If only I knew about the scene and the unity of the Deadhead culture at that time. I am thankful I got to see so many Other Ones, The Dead, Furthur, Phil and Friends, and Ratdog shows since and learn more about my fellow Deadheads. I guess my point is that through your public appearances, gigs, radio shows etc…. I get to live vicariously through someone that was there when Jerry was there. For that I tip my bottle, I throw on some tunes and salute you.
Anyway the reason for my note is that I heard your broadcast stream with guest DJ Jason Rappaport and I loved the show. I know Jason (And Ethan) from the TLG scene and Jam Cruise and I had no idea those guys were such naturals on the radio. I thoroughly enjoyed your show and I appreciate everything you do for the Dead community and for charitable organizations. When I got to hear my friends do a radio show with you it was certainly one of my musical high-points this year. Jason did a great job and the show was a blessing during a hard work week for me. Jason and Ethan are two of my favorite West-Coasters and it is great that your common charity brought you all together to broadcast a great show for a fan like me.
Doug