Anyone attempting to overstate the phenomenon of The Grateful Dead would fail miserably. Pioneering jam band to observers, only band in the world to most fans, their name alone inspires a special kind of joy that even their most loyal of followers have trouble describing. Emerging in San Francisco, California at the peak of America’s subculture movement in the late 1960s, The Dead quickly found their way directly into the hearts of listeners across the world. It wasn’t long before Jerry Garcia and his band would begin a subculture of their own, comprising massive tour following, avid bootleg sharing, and widespread fellowship across the globe. Known primarily for their electrifying live jams, incorporating rock, funk, folk, blues, jazz, country, and much more, their music, to this day, is still the most sought after, collected, catalogued, and revered in the world. As any Deadhead will testify, The Grateful Dead are not as much band as they are a way of life.