How Cops, Pills and Parties Inspired the Grateful Deads Truckin
In 1969 and early 70, the Grateful Dead was on a grueling national tour and staying at budget hotels to save money. Their song, Truckin, detailed the bands travelsand their troublesduring those months.
Recorded for the Deads American Beauty album in September 1970, Truckin was released two months later as an edited single and peaked at #64 on Billboards pop chart. When FM radio embraced the songs longer album version, it became a counterculture anthem.
Recently, Bob Weir, the Grateful Dead guitarist and lead singer and the co-writer of Truckin, talked about the songs evolution. Mr. Weir was just named a U.N. Development Programme Goodwill Ambassador for world poverty and climate change, and his band, Dead & Company, will tour this fall. Edited from an interview:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-cops-pills-and-parties-inspired-the-grateful-deads-truckin-1505922824
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