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Here is the latest news from David Gans, producer and host of the Grateful Dead Hour.

Grateful Dead Hour #977

Week of June 11, 2007 Part 1 28:32 Ratdog 3/19/07 Ram’s Head Live, Baltimore MD WEATHER REPORT SUITE Interview: Mark Karan Part 2 27:53 Interview: Mark Karan Ratdog 3/24/07 Memorial Auditorium, Greensboro NC MONEY FOR GASOLINE Ratdog 3/9/07 Beacon Theater, New York City TENNESSEE JED Interview: Mark Karan Grateful Dead, Three from the Vault (2/19/71) LOSER Ratdog guitarist and Jemimah Puddleduck leader Mark Karan visited the KPFA studio on April 18 and filled two hours up with great music, including a live solo acoustic performance that you’ll hear next week. You’ll also hear some studio recordings-in-progress, including Bob Weir singing “All Along the Watchtower.”

Also in this week’s program is a track from Three for the Vault, to be released June 26 but available for pre-order now on DeadNet. It’s the complete performance of 2/19/71 on two discs, mixed by Dan Healy.

Support for the Grateful Dead Hour comes this week from:

Dead Symphony, an orchestral tribute to the music of the Grateful Dead. Performed by the Russian National Orchestra and conducted by composer Lee Johnson, ‘Dead Symphony’ is available now via an advance release via download at digital music service providers around the globe. More information and audio samples are available at deadsymphony.com

The All Good Music Festival and Campout July 12-15 in Masontown, West Virginia featuring Bob Weir & RatDog, moe., Leftover Salmon, Dark Star Orchestra, Keller Williams, Les Claypool, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Yonder Mountain String Band, Sound Tribe Sector 9, Soulive, and dozens more with no overlapping sets. All Good Festival tickets, directions, and camping information are available at allgoodfestival.com

Nicky Hopkins in the JGB

Recordings of the Jerry Garcia Band 12/19/75 and 12/20/75 have recently surfaced. I was at both shows, and I particularly remember “That’s What Love Will Make You Do” as a powerful performance. And I just loved the Nicky Hopkins edition of the JGB.

Bob Kirschenbaum sent me this email, and I share it here with his permission:

Listening to Hopkins in the JGB playing “That’s What Love…”, I realize that he is playing the Weir role in the band; both use short bursts of notes that occupy a negative space around the melody that Jerry leads on. Jerry usually introduces the simple melody of his covers, then amuses himself by teasing the melody with each pass on it. Hopkins contributes to the feeling of merriment.

I heard Steve Parish say that their conversations were the most interesting of any he heard Jerry have with someone.

When I hear music like this, it just lifts my spirit.