The Grateful Dead named MusiCares Persons of the Year: How they'll be honored Grammys Week
The Grateful Dead will be “Truckin’” toward another honor as the 2025 MusiCares Persons of the Year.
The legendary San Francisco jam band and tie-dye pioneers will be feted at the 34th annual benefit and tribute concert at the Los Angeles Convention Center Jan. 31, two nights before the 67th annual Grammy Awards at Crypto.com Arena. The list of musicians who will perform Dead songs in their honor will be announced closer to the event.
The Grateful Dead is celebrating its 60th anniversary, and original members Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh and Bob Weir will be recognized for both their musical contributions and philanthropic efforts.
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The evening will also include posthumous tributes to Jerry Garcia, the band’s beloved singer/guitarist and co-founder. Garcia died in 1995, but he remains a legendary figurehead of the Dead.
The Grateful Dead, which was honored in 2007 with a Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award, has maintained a resolute following that revels in the band’s winding retellings of songs such as “Jack Straw,” “Franklin’s Tower,” “Sugar Magnolia” and “Uncle John’s Band” in concert.
MusiCares is the foundation arm of the Recording Academy, which produces the Grammys. The organization provides aid, including emergency financial assistance, medical expenses, addiction recovery, disaster relief and treatment for critical illnesses to members of the music community.
In addition to their musical legacy – which will also be recognized at this year’s Kennedy Center Honors – Dead members have contributed greatly to philanthropic causes, including environmental conservation, mental health and music education. Hart has worked to espouse the benefits of music therapy on brain health. Weir is a fierce advocate of addressing climate change and combating poverty. Kreutzmann has long been active in ocean conservation efforts. Lesh’s Unbroken Chain Foundation has donated grants to other non-profits that support music, the environment or education. As well, Garcia worked closely with the Rex Foundation, which provides support to social services and protects the rights of indigenous people.
“This honor is truly a testament to the legacy of the music, which has always been bigger than us — it’s about the connection between us, the crew, and all those who’ve been on this long strange trip,” said Hart, Kreutzmann, Lesh and Weir in a statement. “It’s not just about what we create, but about making sure the people behind it, behind us every night, the ones who quietly make it all happen, get the support they need to keep going, no matter what life throws at them. We’re grateful to stand with MusiCares and hope everyone continues to support this vital mission to ensure music thrives in perpetuity.”
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The Grateful Dead join a starry list of artists who have been celebrated by MusiCares including Joni Mitchell, Fleetwood Mac, Dolly Parton, Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson and last year’s honoree, Jon Bon Jovi.
Tables and tickets are available for purchase at https://personoftheyear.musicares.org/.
Laura Segura, executive director of MusiCares said of the selection of The Grateful Dead, “Their legacy transcends music, having built a community of fans and collaborators that embody the spirit of connection and support, something that is deeply aligned with MusiCares’ mission. The band’s passion for the arts and philanthropy, along with their enduring commitment to social causes, has made a lasting impact that goes beyond the stage.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Grateful Dead to be MusiCares Persons of the Year during Grammys Week
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