A voice for the Grateful Dead and a generation is remembered.
The music world has lost a voice that once soared in the hallowed halls of the San Francisco sound and the soulful studios of Muscle Shoals.
Donna Jean Godchaux, the beloved singer for the Grateful Dead, has passed away at 78 after a long battle with cancer.
Her journey began not in the psychedelic haze of the ’60s, but in Alabama, where her powerful backing vocals helped shape timeless anthems like Percy Sledge’s ‘When a Man Loves a Woman.’
In 1971, her path converged with the Dead, bringing her and her husband, Keith, into the family.
For nearly a decade, her soul-infused harmonies became a vital thread in the band’s tapestry, colouring classics on albums like Europe ’72 and Terrapin Station.
Though her time with the Dead ended, her music never did, as she continued to perform for decades.
As the community mourns, we are left with the echo of her spirit.
