25 years ago today (12/8/95), The Grateful Dead officially called it quits following the death of Jerry Garcia the previous summer.
“After four months of heartfelt consideration,” the group said in a statement that day “the remaining members of the band met yesterday and came to the conclusion that the ‘long strange trip’ of the uniquely wonderful beast known as the Grateful Dead is over. Although individually and in various combinations they will undoubtedly continue to make music, whatever the future holds will be something different in name and structure.”
The band’s statement also urged their “partners,” the committed fans known as the Deadheads, to remember that “the music, the values and the spirit of this marvelous shared journey endure.” 20 years later, the core four surviving members reunited for the highly successful Fare Thee Well show and performed under the Grateful Dead name.
Watch this moving version of “So Many Roads” from the final concert at Chicago’s Soldier Field on 7/9/95.
