Distilling the musical legacy of the Grateful Lifeless into one evening isn’t any small feat, and into three hours is an excellent taller order. However Don Was — longtime president of Blue Observe Information, revered multi-instrumentalist and musical director for the Jan. 31 MusiCares Individuals of the 12 months occasion — was as much as the duty, curating an impressed lineup of devotees, together with Billy Strings, The Battle on Medicine, Norah Jones, Dwight Yoakam, Maren Morris, Noah Kahan and Wynonna Judd, and longtime collaborators like John Mayer, Bruce Hornsby and Was himself, who’s a touring member of Bob Weir’s Wolf Bros taking part in his signature upright bass.
As Was tells it, the set checklist got here collectively organically, with the artists selecting which songs to play in live performance with present producer Rac Clark and MusiCares’ Laura Segura. The top end result ran the gamut from the favored (“Truckin’,” carried out by Yoakam) to the bold (“Terrapin Station” performed by Mayer) to the important (“Samson & Delilah” by Battle and Treaty with Mick Fleetwood and Stewart Copeland, “Good friend of the Satan” by Noah Kahan with Bela Fleck).
The Hollywood Reporter caught up with Was after the Grammys, the place Weir enthusiastically chatted with Taylor Swift as Beyoncé sat ft away, and the place Sierra Ferrell, who appeared at MusiCares, swept the Americana awards earlier within the day.
How do you even begin to conceive of a set checklist with a catalog as deep because the Grateful Lifeless?
I feel it’s important to be delicate to the artists who’re going to sing the songs. We attempt to get them to decide on a music that they really feel an affinity for. And in the event that they’re stumped, we might make solutions. However the the distinction between doing a karaoke model of a Grateful Lifeless present and doing one thing with soul and feeling is to permit the artist to decide on a music they will sink their tooth into and discover one thing new.
Who was a very good instance of that?
Bruce Hornsby I assumed reinvented “Standing on the Moon” and located an emotional nuance in that music that I didn’t know existed — and I play it each 4 or 5 exhibits with with Weir. Dwight Yoakam turned “Truckin’” right into a Texas shuffle that was such a deep groove, and it it gave it an entire new taste. And I assumed Mayer introduced a unique strategy to “Terrapin Station.” He discovered one other door into the music that was completely different and that additional expanded the great thing about the compositions. These are such nice songs — that’s the attract for for the viewers. It speaks to generations of people that come and stick with the band for a lifetime as a result of they will actually sink their tooth into the tales. And so they’re impressionistic sufficient which you can hold your personal inside emotional life on it. Everybody discovered their very own method to do it.
Was there a want checklist of artists or did the invoice current itself?
It’s a mixture of issues. Lots of artists reached out and wished be part of it as a result of they love the Lifeless. Like Billy Strings is a pure inheritor to that sort of music. However the cool factor about MusiCares is that you just get unlikely actors who come shine an entire new mild on the songs. Like Battle & Treaty, you wouldn’t consider them as Deadheads, however what they did with “Samson and Delilah” was superior.
A few of my private highlights have been The Battle on Medicine, Vampire Weekend and Sierra Ferrell. It is a live performance that ought to dwell on a streamer so individuals outdoors of the room can take pleasure in it. Agree?
Properly, they’re all shot and recorded on multi-track, I feel it’s simply getting clearances from all people. Typically individuals don’t give clearances for it, however each one among them I’ve achieved — Bob Dylan, Neil Younger, Neil Diamond and Fleetwood Mac — was shot to be a TV present.
Or on the very least, an album?
Yeah, I agree with you.
What’s the attraction of those songs and the Lifeless’s very a lot alive catalog?
They’re extremely impressionistic, particularly Robert Hunter’s lyrics. In case you’re going to play to stadiums full of individuals, everybody is available in with their very own private set of neurosis and feelings. And to have the ability to convey 80,000 individuals along with a music, and converse to individuals who every assigned a special which means to the music, that’s nice poetry on the core.
Everybody’s acquired a sure line in a sure music which means extra to them or brings some consolation. We do “Ripple” each evening as a finale, and I get choked up each time individuals within the entrance row crying as a result of the music means a lot to them, hugging their pals and every little thing. The response of the viewers to that music is so deep and intense. It’s good.
Norah Jones performs “Ripple.”
Had been you disenchanted to not have a number of the traditional fan favorites represented, like “Brokedown Palace” or “Shakedown Avenue?”
There was so much to select from. And we might solely do 15 of them. It was a reasonably lengthy present. It was unimaginable that individuals stayed within the and have been up on their ft all by means of the Lifeless & Co. set.
Dave Matthews was initially on the invoice…
He was going to do “Sugaree” with Mayer acoustically, however had an sickness within the household and needed to cancel his look at MusiCares and at FireAid the evening earlier than.
Outdoors of the visitors dashing in the direction of the stage, blocking even Weir’s view, issues appeared to go off with out a hitch?
There was a technical downside with John’s acoustic guitar, which was plugged into the incorrect socket for “Terrapin.” We tried to repair it after which they minimize away to a tape or one thing. It took a pair minutes to get it restored on stage. And at that time, the adrenaline was simply annihilated. So after we got here again to John three to 4 minutes later to play the music, we have been all relaxed, and the music went someplace completely sudden. So I’m glad we had a technical snafu as a result of we would have been too excited. I assumed John sang it superbly. I used to be in awe, truly.
What have been your standout moments from the evening?
I assumed “Terrapin” was actually robust. I beloved taking part in “Ripple” with Norah, I assumed she she discovered a fantastic manner into it. I beloved Sierra Ferrell and Lukas Nelson doing “Should Have Been the Roses.” And Dwight: we had discovered it a sure manner earlier than he acquired there after which he stated, “No, no, no,” and simply began taking part in the chords on the guitar in such a deep, rhythmic groove. His was a whole reinvention of “Truckin’.” It was swinging it simply. It simply rocked like loopy. I actually loved taking part in that. There wasn’t a nasty second in it for me.
Sierra Ferrell and Lukas Nelson carry out “It Should Have Been the Roses.”
Ending with “Contact of Gray” was particularly poignant in these instances. Was that at all times the plan?
Yeah. Once more, it’s acquired a number of meanings. It applies to the L.A. fires and likewise the Deadheads who’ve been with the band for 60 years. It’s unimaginable.
I take it you’ve been to the Sphere?
Oh yeah, it was magnificent. , I’m 72, and after I was a child within the Nineteen Fifties, they used to inform us what the long run was going to appear like. The Jetsons, in fact. There’s not an entire lot of what was predicted that has develop into actuality, however going into the Sphere, I assumed, “All proper, that is value staying alive for.” To see that is what they they advised us the long run goes to be like. Though I do know these guys properly and I do know all of the behind-the-scenes stuff, I simply become a gushing fan. It was only a unbelievable present.
Beneath is the MusiCares Grateful Lifeless Individuals of the 12 months full set checklist:
Darkish Star/The Different One: Bob Weir with Orchestra
Samson & Delilah: Battle & Treaty with Mick Fleetwood and Stewart Copeland
One Extra Saturday Evening: My Morning Jacket with Maggie Rose
Ripple: Norah Jones with Bela Fleck
Bertha: Zac Brown with Marcus King
Ramble On Rose: Wynonna Judd
Good friend Of The Satan: Noah Kahan with Bela Fleck
Scarlet Begonias > Loopy Fingers: Vampire Weekend
Truckin’: Dwight Yoakam
They Love Every Different: Maren Morris
It Should Have Been The Roses: Sierra Ferrell and Lukas Nelson
Wharf Rat: Billy Strings
Unfastened Lucy: Sammy Hagar
Standing on the Moon: Bruce Hornsby
Field of Rain: The Battle on Medicine with Grahame Lesh
Terrapin Station: John Mayer
Althea > Sugar Magnolia > Contact Of Gray: Lifeless & Firm
