Is There Life After The Dead? Deadheads and the Death of Jerry Garcia

Abstract

The Grateful Dead is a rock and roll band formed in 1965. For thirty years the Grateful Dead have attracted a following of faithful fans, numbering in the hundreds of thousands, known as Deadheads. The lead singer, guitarist, composer and figurehead of the band was Jerry Garcia. Beginning in the late 1960s, a community grew around the band. To some Deadheads, Jerry represented a father, grandfather, guru, spiritual leader or a god. I argue that this community of fans constitutes a subculture. A discussion and description of this subculture is included. In August of 1995, Garcia died in his sleep. Six months later the surviving band members announced their decision not to continue as the Grateful Dead. Many Deadheads were deeply affected by the loss of Jerry and the end of the Grateful Dead. This paper examines the mourning of Deadheads: who was affected, how it was expressed, and the reasons behind it. Many feared the loss of the subculture, although a strong commitment to continue was evident. A discussion of the future of Deadheads, the possible role of cyberspace, and the commitment of Deadheads to retaining their community is included.