Otis Gibbs elicites a great interview with Ray Benson of Asleep At The Wheel!

And for good measure, another where Ray discusses Merle Haggard (and other related topics):

https://youtu.be/zmvmglHiO6A?si=fiprzZXkto3HLPdZ

In this video, Ray mentions Merle Haggard buying Left Frizzell’s Gibson J-200 for $150,000. For those who think my over-estimation of the effect on the direction of Rock music by the release of The Band’s 1968 debut album Music From Big Pink, consider this:

In the height of the psychedelic movement, The Band included a cover of Lefty’s "The Long Black Veil" on that album. That album followed Bob Dylan’s John Wesley Harding, released six months earlier. Remember, the Grateful Dead’s "reaction" to those two albums appeared two years later.

I rest my case.

Oops, I should have also mentioned The Band’s followup, 1969’s s/t album (the "brown" album), perhaps even more influential (according to Bernie Taupin, the inspiration and model for Elton’s Tumbleweed Connection). I have listened to that album more than any other in my music library, and is my choice for the best album ever made.

Yeah, this is ancient history, but those two Band albums cast a very long shadow, and a lot of the best (imo) music being made today was in part inspired by them. While lots of music made in 1968 and ’69 sounds comically dated, the first two Band albums still sound fresh, timeless. If I could own only two albums, it would be Music From Big Pink and it’s s/t followup.

And yours?

@bdp24

I’ve yet to read/watch any interview or biographical piece with/about the Dead that is consistent with this view that the Dead "copied" The Band. Garcia was playing Bluegrass banjo before he even picked up a guitar or contemplated playing electric music. Weir started out playing acoustic Folk and Country.

It seems to me the material Garcia and Hunter produced during their Americana phase came very naturally. Based on the sheer quality of those songs, I don’t see how you can justify any claim that they were "derivitive" , musically. Garcia and Hunter had no need to copy anyone. They were quite capable of convincingly mining the same traditions as The Band without aping Robertson or anyone else. The quality of their compositions speaks for itself. Garcia had a musicologist’s love for and knowledge of all types of traditional music, unlike Robertson, who was "tutored" by Levon regarding what would come across as authentically traditional.

If you’re suggesting the Dead copied The Band strictly as a money-making strategy, with all due respect, you must not know much about the Dead. "Business savvy" they were most definitely not!

I enjoy The Band and the Dead equally and have played tunes by both for many years. With all due respect, I remain mystified regarding your zeal to "prove" The Band were the best of the best.