the dead on tour again. ---two questions:

"Who is Warren Haynes?" That's like asking what's salt? He's only one of the five best remaining guitarist alive and he's from right in my home town of Asheville NC.

Warren Haynes is Dickie Betts successor.

i guess the problem i have is listening to shows from 70-71 (from the vault vol 3, Ladies & Gents the GD, and Dix vol 4), there is no way this iteration of the band can hold a candle to when they were the best R&R band in the world. the interplay of Jerry, Phil, Bobby & Bill was incredible, and they would just tear it up supporting a Pigpen rap. what a band. if only we could have frozen that version of the band in time...

i miss JG.

I was introduced to the Grateful Dead back in ohhhh, 1972 and my first shows were in the mid seventies. Not the time or place to discuss or defend the muscical merits or contributions this band has made here ( or Jerry Garcia for that matter ), but I did see where the 4 original members are playing together again....and for a moment a smile came to my face and my feet began to tap to Scarlet Begonias as well as other Dead songs started to swirl in my head. There was just something about this band live that just got me....after Jerry died, I went to a couple of Rat Dog shows and also a Phil Lesch show but when they played their Dead songs.....sorry, the magic was just not there. The music was good but it was just not the same. I would like to see these guys play together again, but I'm sure I'd walk out after the show and say to myself....''hey, that was fun, music was good....but it wasn't a Grateful Dead show''.

Warren Haynes has plenty of experience playing Dead music. When the Dead toured in '05 Warren was in the band, also Warren was a member of Phil and Friends. In addition, Warren has also "sat in" with Bob Weir's group, Ratdog on many occasions. Granted Warren doesn't play like Jerry, but if anybody can fill Jerry's shoes it would be Warren. Of course, this depends on whether or not, Phil and Bobby will allow Warren to be Warren. Warren is one of the few musicians who knows how to fit in, and enhance any musically situation that he finds himself involved with.