{"id":10859,"date":"2019-09-24T23:57:30","date_gmt":"2019-09-25T06:57:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.louielouie.net\/blog\/?p=10859"},"modified":"2019-09-26T23:11:24","modified_gmt":"2019-09-27T06:11:24","slug":"rip-robert-hunter-songwriter-for-grateful-dead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.louielouie.net\/blog\/?p=10859","title":{"rendered":"RIP: Robert Hunter, songwriter for Grateful Dead"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Robert Hunter<\/strong>, the man who provided the Grateful Dead<\/strong> with lyrics for some of their most memorable songs, passed away on Monday night.<\/p>\n

Rolling Stone<\/a> shared a brief history of his friendship with Jerry Garcia<\/strong>, which led to his special role within the Grateful Dead. <\/p>\n

Born Robert Burns in California in 1941, Hunter met Garcia in 1961 at a local production of the musical Damn Yankees, where they were introduced by Hunter\u2019s ex-girlfriend, and Garcia\u2019s then-girlfriend, Diane Huntsburger. The two didn\u2019t immediately hit it off, their friendship took root a couple nights later when they saw each other at a local coffeehouse. Just one year apart in age (Garcia was 18 and Hunter 19 at the time they met), their bond was forged partly through the shared experience of losing a father \u2014 Garcia through death, Hunter through divorce.<\/p>\n

While Hunter and Garcia played in a few bluegrass bands together, the former passed on an offer to join Garcia\u2019s pre-Grateful Dead jug band to focus instead on writing. At Stanford, Hunter took part in an early LSD experiment (\u201cI had a romping good time,\u201d he recalled) and dabbled in Scientology, but eventually he began to struggle with speed and meth, prompting him to leave the Bay Area for New Mexico. There, Hunter began writing more songs \u2014 including future Dead classics \u201cSt. Stephen,\u201d \u201cChina Cat Sunflower\u201d and \u201cAlligator” \u2014 which he sent to Garcia, who encouraged him to return to San Francisco and join the Dead as their lyricist.<\/p>\n

Back in the Bay Area, Hunter would join the band at rehearsals and write lyrics. During one session, Hunter began writing lyrics to accompany an instrumental the band was working on; the result, \u201cDark Star,\u201d was both a landmark for the band and also the official start of Hunter\u2019s new role as the lyricist in residence.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Years ago, my pal David Gross<\/strong> (aka Punmaster), turned me onto an inspired version of LOUIE LOUIE by Robert Hunter, live on May 8, 1982 at The Boarding House, San Francisco, CA. <\/p>\n

What I really enjoyed about this version is that it was the first concert I’ve ever heard that featured a heckler yelling out “Play LOUIE LOUIE or I’ll kill you!”<\/em> <\/p>\n

…. and I loved how Robert Hunter handled it!<\/p>\n