Named from an Egyptian prayer that
Jerry Garcia spotted in a dictionary, The Grateful Dead were psychedelic pioneers and, according to Rolling Stone, "the most improvisatory of all major
rock bands." From the late 1960s to the death of Garcia in 1995, the band was best known for its long, freeform live performances that borrowed from many rock traditions including
country,
blues and
folk. Besides lead guitarist/vocalist Garcia, the Dead 's original members included: Phil Lesh (bass guitar), Bob Weir, (rhythm guitar),
Ron "Pigpen" McKernan (keyboards, harmonica), Bill Kreutzmann (drums) and Mickey Hart (drums and percussion).
