Posted on 11/03/2025 9:18:46 AM PST by dayglored
[Subtitle] The vocalist spent the Seventies with the legendary group, and also sang backup on hits by Elvis Presley and Percy Sledge
Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay, who spent the Seventies singing with the Grateful Dead, sang back-up on several classic Sixties hits, and fronted her own bands, has died. She was 78.
Godchaux joined the Grateful Dead in 1971 alongside her husband, Keith, who played keyboards. Her vocals were a key feature of the Dead’s seminal run during the Seventies, appearing on such classic albums as Europe ’72, Wake of the Flood, and Terrapin Station, not to mention countless legendary live recordings (including the famed Cornell ’77 gig and the Dead’s September 1978 shows at the Giza pyramid in Egypt).
Prior to joining the Dead, Godcheaux was working as an in-demand session singer in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. She contributed to hits like Percy Sledge’s “When a Man Loves a Woman” and Elvis Presley’s “Suspicious Minds,” while also singing on songs by Duane Allman, Cher, Neil Diamond, and Boz Scaggs.
(Excerpt) Read more at rollingstone.com ...
|
Click here: to donate by Credit Card Or here: to donate by PayPal Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794 Thank you very much and God bless you. |
Coincidentally, that date was also Bob Weir's 23rd birthday.
I saw perhaps another dozen Dead shows over the next 15 years, and then pretty much stopped going to concerts at all, it was getting too crazy.
“ amazing how many great songs she sang backup on at Muscle Shoals.
The esteemed and expert tough businessman Rick Hall did not let anyone perform who couldn’t perform in his FAME studio
She has a great voice and was a good musician by that high standard.
Amen to that.
I can’t remember which album it is, but one has an original song of hers that’s surprisingly good. I never skipped it.
In my humble opinion, the Grateful Dead started going down hill in the early 70s, and sounded as if they caught the disco virus and never recovered.
As far as I am concerned, the Dead died when Pigpen died.
more than anyone could wanna know about rock bands of that era, smiles smiles, the Dead included:
https://rockprosopography101.blogspot.com/2022/09/palo-alto-rock-concerts-1970-73-palo.html
Very true. Her backup work on Wake of the Flood and Mars Hotel was terrific.
Not saying they were bad just overrated. Jerry was decent, about on a par with a journeyman studio session player.
“””This could get me killed but… The GD was the most overrated band in history.”””
I also thought they sucked. Same goes for the Beatles.
**At least Led Zeppelin never caved.**
No, didn’t need to.
Robert Plant sounded like a woman in childbirth often enough. And looked like a woman with his goldilocks. Lol, my wife’s opinions back in the day while dating one night cruising in the vette. And I laughingly agreed. (She had a very manly father: WW2 warrior, outdoorsman, looked and sounded like a younger John Wayne.)
Well you’re wrong about The Beatles. I have the luxury of having experienced their work in context. When Peppers came out it was a shockwave.
Plain terrible
Not a Deadhead, but went to one concert at SPAC in 1983 when I was stationed at the Naval Nuclear Power Training Unit in upstate New York. Wasn’t impressed. Darn near got me kicked out of the Navy. I knew better than to partake of the “refreshments”, so I didn’t blow a piss test, but I spent days trying to get the odor out of my clothes. Ended up burning them instead. Wasn’t worth my time.
Milton?
and HERE is pretty much the whole story about the GD:
https://www.paloaltohistory.org/the-grateful-dead.php#:~:text=Along%20the%20way%20the%20Dead,%5B%5D
Yep. Milton/Ballston Spa, same thing.
Agreed!
How many dead heads does it take to change a light bulb?
None. They just let it burn out and follow it around for 40 years.
I’ll be here all week.
This isn’t one of those cases. She had a history of being a backup singer of a bunch of famous albums from the Muscle Sholes studios when she joined the Dead (See the documentary about Muscle Sholes if you haven’t). Jerry knew who she was. And she was the one who got her husband into the band.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.