The Grateful Dead have been spreading their message of peace, love, and mind-expansion around the world for nearly three decades. Few believe there has ever been a more influential band in modern history. But all this did not happen without major conflicts. Since the beginning there have been several ups and downs with the band and its various members, from personal problems, to label problems, to the problems they always had with being on tour for so long. Very few bands are able to keep the same sound in their music without changing with the times like the Grateful Dead did. You can insert an early record from the 70s and it will sound identical to what was recorded in the late 90s. The Grateful Dead experienced everything from death to drug addiction, and Keep Truckin'! The band was formed in 1965 in Sans Francisco with a mix of sounds from different musical genres such as Folk, Bluegrass, Jazz, Country, Blues, and physique rock. The original members were as follows: Jerry Garcia on lead guitar and vocals, Bob Weir was the youngest member of the band playing rhythm guitar and vocals. Ron "Pigpin" McKernan played keyboards, Phill Lesh was always the backing track. Bill Kreutzmann initially played drums, but was followed by Micky Heart in 1967 as second drummer. When Pigpin died at the tender age of 27 from liver failure, Keith Godchaux joined as the new keyboard player, bringing along his wife Donna Jean to help him with backup vocals. When the pair left the band in 1979 they were replaced by Brent Mayland. Mayland played with the band until his death in 1990, making him the third keyboard player to die while in the Grateful Dead. He was quickly replaced by Bruce Hornsbey. Robert Hunter and John Perry Barlow were responsible for most of the lyrics. Owen Stanely was their beloved manager for years. The Grateful Dead were not only known for their sound, but also used different visual techniques. Everything from little dancing bears and skeletons to the famous "Steal Your Face". Here are some words from Owsley Stanley on Steal Your Face: In 1969 the Dead were renting a warehouse in Novato, California. I was the band's sound engineer at the time and lived in Oakland.