The Lost Tapes

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More than 50 years ago, the Grateful Dead play a mellow acoustic set billed as "Mickey Hart and the Heartbeats and Bobby Ace and the Cards from the Bottom of the Deck" — a ridiculous, stealth name referencing drummer Hart and Bob Weir. The reel was a rare find, making its way into Garcia's collection, unknown to fans and many within the Dead organization for almost 43 years before being discovered, remastered and released as a limited edition. The 17 song set includes traditional, original works, and covers.

Even though the reel sat in questionable conditions for over 40 years, the Owsley Stanley soundboard shines. Stanley, a clandestine chemist, and Dead sound engineer would have made Ken Kesey proud of this work.

Dubbed the Lost Show, remarkable in the fact that the entire show is acoustic, and thankfully for some, not four hours long. The fascinating work occurs within a rare, six-song solo Pigpen set. Pigpen, or Ron McKernan, was born with the blues, and this set solidifies his legendary status. The band was fresh off recording Workingman's Dead and later that summer went back into the studio to record American Beauty. It is fascinating to hear Pigpen stripped down, giving us a taste of "massively transitional Dead,” as Grateful Dead archivist David Lemieux describes the departure from their "sixties sound."

It's a treat, have a listen: I Know You Rider

Grateful Dead - Family Dog At The Great Highway, San Francisco, CA, April 18, 1970. Vinyl, Limited Edition 7200, 180g.

Record 1: Side A