Patti Smith

While going through the Grateful Dead Openers vine, I spotted a very unusual show. It was the Patti Smith Group. The first time that I heard heard her was when she played on Saturday Night Live on April 17, 1976. She did Gloria and My Generation. I was not prepared for her at all, but this godmother of the punk movement is into Jerry Garcia. This is strange indeed. Things can get stranger for sure. Here is a piece that she wrote in remembrance to our fallen hero. I could not find a copy of either SNL or the show I listened to, so I am giving you a link to a video of Gloria from a few weeks earlier than the GD show.

One of the other artists that have opened for the Grateful Dead was Babatunde Olatunji. He worked with Mickey Hart. Here is The Beat of my Drum.

Music for today:

New Riders of the Purple Sage
December 31, 1972
Winterland Arena
San Francisco, CA
listen here

Babatunde Olatunji and His Drums of Passion
September 19, 1987
Madison Square Garden
New York City, NY
opening for Grateful Dead
listen here (put in Babatunde Olatunji in search engine)

Patti Smith Group
May 12, 1979
Alumni Stadium
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA
opening for Grateful Dead

The Who
March 28, 1981
Rockpalast
Essen, West Germany
opening for Grateful Dead

Roy Buchanan
September 6, 1980
State Fairgrounds
Lewiston, ME
opening for Grateful Dead

Pharoah Sanders & Willie Henderson
May 21, 1992
Cal Expo Amphitheatre
Sacramento, CA
opening for Grateful Dead

Santana
June 28, 1991
Mile High Stadium
Denver, CO
listen here (look up Santana in search engine)