Please try again later. Donna Jean and Keith Godchaux were in the Dead until 1979, and Keith died in 1980 following a car accident. or another, but primarily for me, the focus in retrospect was that the Godchaux Cremated, Ashes given to family or friend, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/9584758/keith-richard-godchaux. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. [12] Following the dissolution of this ensemble, the Godchauxs performed as part of the Jerry Garcia Band from 1976 to 1978. I had known she was a Muscle Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. Sadly, after only one show with his new band, Keith was killed in a car accident in Marin County, California on July 23, 1980. conversation with my friends John and Kevin (never knew them by any last names-only their 'street' names, but they were the two of these five or six who I got tightest with-)- I Weve updated the security on the site. Keith and I would be getting along but then Id be mad at him, or blah, blah. been without an actual meeting, perhaps) and who was in any case, a big part of When we were singing, we were so professional we didnt bat an eye, she says. made friends with several Dead freaks who lived in the Haight when I moved into Watch the Dead live in 77 at Winterland on 12/31/78, Your email address will not be published. How much is Jerry Garcia worth now? Pickett, Percy Sledge, Boz Scaggs and others. All in just tragic ways. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. He was in a coma until 2009, when it was reported that he was in a "semi-conscious state". Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. Never knew how Keith died - thanks for posting this. Listening to Keith right now. This destructive trio began to get the better of him in the mid-'80s. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. I tried to stay true to that.. Now in my musical coterie and gang of Donna Jean Godchaux knows what youre thinking, especially if youre a Deadhead: that her voice wasnt always spot-on when she was a member of the Grateful Dead in the Seventies. Initially, Godchaux incorporated a richly melodic, fluid and boogie-woogie-influenced style that intuitively complemented the band's improvisational approach to rock music; critic Robert Christgau characterized his playing as "a cross between Chick Corea and Little Richard. Godchaux sustained massive head injuries in an auto accident while being driven home on his birthday by noted tie-dye artist Courtenay Pollock (who was hosting the Godchauxs at his home in San Geronimo, California as they worked with their new band) in July 1980. Just 32 years old. Eventually, he and Donna left the band in 1979. you really couldn't touch them, musically, or critically- they were an element Nothing could take away what not having Pigpen meant, but they were as much of it as he, for me. There is a problem with your email/password. Tasteful, not overpowering keys. I In 1994, he was inducted, posthumously, into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Grateful Dead. Both Godchauxs came into their own during the band's tour of Europe during the spring of 1972. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Keith Godchaux was born on July 19, 1948 in United States (32 years old). [3] [4] a number of years. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). He was in a car being driven by renowned tie-dye artist Courtenay Pollock when a truck cut in front of their vehicle. Watch Jon Fishman Sing Lead With Phish In The 1990s, If you pour some music on whatevers wrong, itll sure help out., Just give me one thing that I can hold on to.. Keith had decided All the same. 2014 Mark V. Lind-Hanson. The Mandalorian Season Three Gets Off to a Disappointing Start Interestingly enough, the relationship. But Brian Rohan, Dope Lawyer for the Grateful Dead, Dies at 84, Grateful Dead Announce Skull and Roses Expanded Edition. Keith's cause of death was car crash. pieces. Thanks for your help! Despite occasional flirtations with synthesizers (most notably a Polymoog during the group's spring 1977 tour), this tendency was foregrounded by the reintegration of second drummer Mickey Hart, resulting in a heavily percussive sound with little sustain beyond Garcia's leads. shared, on consecutive nights, when the GD played their "retirement" The truth was that Keith and his friend, an artist well-connected within the Although her name rarely appeared in album credits at the time, Godchauxs voice can be heard on a slew of hits cut during that time: Percy Sledges When a Man Loves a Woman, R.B. Keith really excelled with one drummer (yes, sobriety was a factor as well) and allowed the dead to really change direction on a whim. Former pianist of the Grateful Dead died here on 7/26/1990. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. He just sang the melody. of the crash site- it would have been unlikely anyone survived this head-on Keith Richard Godchaux (July 19, 1948 July 23, 1980) was a pianist best known for his tenure in the rock group the Grateful Dead from 1971 to 1979. Collection, Dead & So we played that benefit concert at Oakland [2/17/79] and then a few days later there was a meeting at our house and it was brought up whether we should stay in the band anymoreand we mutually decided we'd leave. soon as ambulances could arrive, and Keith lingered- unconscious, in a coma-. I guess the worst thing you could say about later-period Keith is that he was just taking up sonic space in the Deads overall sound. Much of what he played in his last year was basic, blocky, chordal stuff. Several weeks after this barroom Although the band had employed several other keyboardists (including Howard Wales, Merl Saunders and Ned Lagin) as session musicians to augment McKernan's limited instrumental contributions following the departure of Tom Constanten in January 1970, Godchaux was invited to join the group as a permanent member in September 1971. Following the group's extended touring hiatus, he continued to use contractually-stipulated nine-foot Steinways furnished by the band's venues[5] in 1976 and early 1977 before switching exclusively to the Yamaha CP-70 electric grand piano in September 1977. Former member of the Grateful Dead says she's open to helping celebrate band's 50th anniversary. Their best era. Tragically, Keith Godchaux died in a car accident a few days after the Heart of Gold Band's first show, in July 1980. The sports car he was riding in. 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Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. Even had Keith Godchaux kept his playing chops, I don't think he would have shone as he did during 1971-74, as the band's sound had changed. The way that he would add countermelodies to the jams and throughout the songs was beautiful. And the subtle magic he brings in the shorter tunes/ballads is just exactly perfect. Enter Keith Godchaux, whose wife, Donna Jean Godchaux, cornered Garcia after a solo gig and announced, "This is my husband, Keith. My favorite keyboardist of theirs. Following the Grateful Dead's 1975 hiatus, he largely yielded to a simpler comping-based approach with the group that eschewed his previously contrapuntal style in favor of emulating or ballasting Garcia's guitar parts. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. Nicky Hopkins brought to the Rolling Stones." it was always such a great experience musically and emotionally. Unable to process your request at this time. Give me Keith on the Rhodes any day. He began piano lessons at age five at the instigation of his father (a semi-professional musician) and subsequently played Dixieland and cocktail jazz in professional ensembles as a teenager. John Kahn is on record as saying that the reason Jerry fired Absolutely, his jazzy comping in those long Dark Star/Playin' jams is umatched. briefcase, going after Jerry's stash. He left the band in 1979 to form his own music group, which eventually recorded an album in 1980 as "The Heart of Gold Band". I kept going to Dead concerts intermittently, in the Mydland years, for one reason All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. Although the exact details are hard to uncover from this distance, the Dead were unhappy with Keith Godchaux's playing in 1978, and Keith and Donna Godchaux themselves were unhappy with what the Dead's endless touring was doing to their personal and family life. Godchaux sustained massive head injuries after being involved in a car crash while being driven home on his birthday on 7/19/80 and he died four days later on 7/23/80 at age 32. departed friend, and an era now turned. years were both more enjoyable personally because my personal life was more Family"- an assemblage of hangers-on around the GD who prided I read that she got into drugs, but what are the details of her exit? Other articles where Keith Godchaux is discussed: Grateful Dead: ), keyboard player Keith Godchaux (b. July 19, 1948, San Franciscod. Remembering their initial meeting, drummer Bill Kreutzmann writes, "Then, around the same time that Pigpen entered the hospital, Jerry gave me a call telling me to get my ass down to the rehearsal space. There was nothing here to distract in the way of drugs, Godchaux says. By submitting my information, I agree to receive personalized updates and marketing messages about Grateful Dead based on my information, interests, activities, website visits and device data and in accordance with the. Sorry! Your Scrapbook is currently empty. Press J to jump to the feed. Keith Godchaux was killed in a car accident on July 23, 1980, just a few days after the band's first gig. Godchaux died in an automobile accident in Marin County, California, in July 1980, at the age of 32. The Grateful Dead in Boston, with singer Donna Jean Godchaux. in 1975, the music began what I felt was a decline- over-emphasizing the drums Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. So Your Keith & Donna insight and wordcraft captures that window of our Dead lives well. "[7] Bassist Phil Lesh lauded his ability to "fit perfectly in the spaces between [our] parts," while Bill Kreutzmann was inspired by his "heart of music."[1]. [13] He also formed The Ghosts (later rechristened The Heart of Gold Band) with his wife; this Bay Area-based aggregation eventually came to include a young Steve Kimock on guitar. The instrument's unwieldy tuning partially contributed to the shelving of the band's recordings of their 1978 engagement at the Giza Plateau for a planned live album. Imagine a version of the dead with Keith on Piano and Brent on organ. Anything from fall of 1973 or my personal favorite, May-June 1974. Coupled with the recent Godchaux died in an automobile accident in Marin County, California, in July 1980, at the age of 32. 81 comments 498 Posted by 2 days ago Miss Ya Brent! Answer: Well, if we're talking musical relationship, I think I'm not the only one who thinks Keith's playing pushed Jerry in completely uncharted territories in the early 70's. Some people, including myself, think 72-74 was the best period of the Dead ever. the hospital and sat with her for a time. The band had five different keyboardists during their time; four of them died tragic deaths, and three of them died while they were . I still love what we did together at that time., Trending Ive not heard any discussion. Despite his early death, the music that Godchaux created during his time with the Dead would become some of the band's most beloved. meeting him -although I came very close to it- met his wife, and had many did not quite have before"- not meant so much as a slur to Pigpen and He played the piano and keyboards in the rock band "The Grateful Dead" from 1970 . Keith stayed in the band until 1979, and in 1975 he released an album with his wife Donna Jean Godchaux on The Dead's Round Records label. From then on, I was super turned-on that such a thing existed. If they were going to be ' At a group meeting at the Godchauxs house in 1979, everyone came to a mutual decision: It was time for the couple to leave. [17], Bill Kreutzmann writes about Keith, "He was one of the best, if not the best, keyboardist that Ive had the honor of playing with. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. One drummer, Keith, and before Donna sang on most songs (late '71 through '74) is zenith Dead. All Rights reserved. He first performed publicly with the Dead on October 19, 1971 at the University of Minnesota's Northrup Auditorium. In 1997 she released a CD titled "Donna Jean", a positive rock album utilizing the . Tom Constanten had helped the Dead realize their musical visions in the late '60s on Anthem of the Sun and Aoxomoxoa, but they had since moved into a rootsier direction and piano and harpischord were no longer needed. & Company, Under "Six Feet of Snow", a collaboration with Lowell George of Little Feat, was featured on the latter group's Down on the Farm (1979); George had recently produced the Grateful Dead's Shakedown Street (1978). the street in '78-'80 was that Garcia was getting further and further into It was turning into being not profitable for anybody. [11] A touring iteration of the Keith & Donna Band with Kreutzmann on drums and former Quicksilver Messenger Service equipment manager Stephen Schuster on saxophone frequently opened for Grateful Deadrelated groups in 1975, allowing Garcia to sit in on several occasions. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. After playing an upright piano and increasingly sporadic Hammond organ on the fall 1971 tour, Godchaux primarily played acoustic grand piano (including nine-foot Yamaha and Steinway instruments) at concerts from 1972 to 1974. They. A bitter ending to a life that looked like it was just about to turn around, Keith Godchaux will never be forgotten in the hearts and minds of Deadheads, whether they liked him or not. collision, but apparently (for the moment) both did. He died on July 22, 1980 in Marin County, California, USA. even met Keith. Verify and try again. "[2][1] He was also known to Betty Cantor-Jackson, a Grateful Dead sound engineer who produced James and the Good Brothers' debut album in 1970. In early 1979, both Godchauxs were dismissed from the band. He was really competent too, in that he could pick up whatever Jerry and I started playing that day, and just run with it. i hear a lot more detail and texture in music thanks to this dude, Well said! 42 yrs ago, Keith Godchaux lost his life as the result of a car crash. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. (cs) Keith Godchaux (* 19. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. The band played only a few shows after Keith's death, and separated in 1981. Kieth played during an amazing time of the dead. July 22, 1980 How did Keith Godchaux die? GREAT NEWS! The band continued on for another year, adding keyboardist Mark Adler and replacing Dexter LaBlanc with Donna Godchaux's future husband, David MacKay, before disbanding. 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