The Dead's Lifetime Achievement

The Grateful Dead were awarded a special Lifetime Achiement Grammy the other night. Here are a couple quotes that were in the news.

The Associated Press said Phil Lesh was “very excited” to get his first recognition from the recording academy and quoted him as saying “It’s kind of a wonderful thing, after however many years of neglect, to be recognized.”

Reuters quoted the drummers. "The thing about a lifetime achievement award is being here. We made it and we're alive," said the Grateful Dead's Mickey Hart, who stood with co-drummer Bill Kreutzmann to receive the honor on behalf of the group. "I wish the rest of my brothers in the band could be here," said Kreutzmann.

Chuck Crisafulli reported:

Drummers Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart represented the Grateful Dead this night, and Kreutzmann made a point of sending out a special thanks to his bandmates, both living and deceased, "Especially Jerry Garcia, who I miss dearly." Kreutzmann also expressed heartfelt thanks to the bands fans, "Deadheads": "God bless you — you know who you are." He also pointed out one large, particular fan in the audience this night —basketball great and well-known Deadhead Bill Walton. Hart jokingly expressed some confusion, claiming that he'd been under the impression that the Dead were receiving a "Lifetime Pardon" rather than a Lifetime Achievement Award. He described the band's career as "Desperate men in desperate times doing desperate things," but said that, "I loved every minute of it." He also emphasized how much he appreciated the support of fans over the years, pointing out that while so many fans would do anything to get to a show, the band itself "Would do anything to get to making the music for you."

Photo by REUTERS/Max Morse