40 years ago today (7/23/80), the late Keith Godchaux died from injuries sustained in an automobile crash. During most of his tenure with the Dead (1971-1979), Godchaux contributed to the Dead’s most creatively fruitful period, where marathon peformances were rampant and his acoustic piano contributions served as springboard and engine of improvisation and melody. Godchaux sustained massive head injuries after being involved in a car crash while being driven home on his birthday on 7/19/80 and he died four days later on 7/23/80 at age 32. Watch the Dead live in ’77 at Winterland on 12/31/78…
