Happy 76th birthday today to Robert Hunter (born 6/23/41), lyricist, singer-songwriter and poet, best known for his work with the Grateful Dead and for collaborating with singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. An early friend of Jerry Garcia, they played together in bluegrass bands (such as the Tub Thumpers) and Hunter went on to write a majority of the lyrics for Jerry Garcia sung Grateful Dead songs, and is the only non-performing member of a band ever inducted into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame. Hunter’s gift of storytelling and poetry helped create the Dead songbook into an American original which today still goes unrivalled in its folklore. In celebration of Hunter’s 76th birthday lets watch the Hunter perform “Ripple” at the Ryman on 9/18/13.
