[jck_strw]

I've given my thoughts on Donna, but thinking about it, I will say this:

We do need to give thanks to Donna. From what I've read, Keith was a shy bastard. If it wasn't for Donna, Keith never would've joined the band. And that would've been sorely missed.

A backhanded compliment to be sure, but better than anyone's ever said about me. :^)

[cooljmh]

i liked donna from 72-74. check out the sing me back home from 1972-8-27 and that "COME ALIve" scream really gets you. also, the omsn from the gd movie is great, at the end she goes crazy, i like it. She is also a vital part of dancin'.

[krystofers]

Seems lately more and more like I'm in the minority, but I think Donna Jean was a godsend for the Grateful Dead. I know a lot of people say that she doesn't sing as well as say, Brent - but I think what she did with the band was absolutely sublime. The soul in her voice when she was deep in it came out like a firestorm - and the balance of vocal harmonies that she had with Bobby (in my opinion) gave him the room to start exploring more with his own voicings. But I think her smiling face was one of the biggest contributions...just watch how Jerry reacts to her in the Grateful Dead Movie.

But, by far and wide, her work with the Jerry Garcia Band was what gave her a place in my musical loves forever. My god...if you're not a fan of hers, listen to the Pure Jerry show from the Cats Under Stars tour. The way she and Maria Muldaur intertwine their harmonies with Jerry's guitar is beautiful.

[Isaacsmonkeywrench]

I won't take any particular side and say that she was definetely good or bad overall, but I will mention her performances in late 70's Terrapin Station jams. Her higher harmonizing once they move into

"Terrapin Station
in the shadow of the moon
Terrapin Station
and I know we'll be there soon

Terrapin - I can't figure out
Terrapin - if it's the end or beginning
Terrapin - but the train's put its brakes on and the whistle is screaming
Terrapin"

At this point, especially during late 70's renditions of the song, she is incredible in my opinion.

[Django]

Phreaker was right on. Vocals with the Dead are not the point. At least not live. And it isn't the Amer. Idol crap. Some people have great voices that are a given. But a soulful attempt wins in my book.
But aside from that, to see four long haired hippy gladrags wearin' frontpersons - and one was a woman(!) in the early 70s was a unique cultural icon, and helped me to feel unique as a Deadhead.

[Rev_Roach]

Donna is hit or miss. Plenty of times she sounds great. I think especially she sounds good when singing with Bob, like on Cassidy for example. On the other hand, songs where she leads are usually pretty dull.

As posters before have mentioned, she is a lot better with JGB. If you haven't heard Strange Man yet do yourself a favor.

[BigJilm]

it might piss sum people off, but ive nevr liked Donna, ill b getting into a great song and then she has throw her shit in, I dont even think that shes that good of a singer, let alone with the dead. Mid to late 70's dead was a great era for the dead lots of great playing and new songs, but i always have kinda felt that she was dragging them down.

[Django]

Here's where we may have a difference between older heads who saw the band and neo-heads (not my term) who have experienced it all through downloads from the web.
I made the point that it was important to me to see the mixed sexes together in the band as a cultural signpost. Something unique in rock music.
Whereas if you are determining which of your large collection of shows are ruined because of a scream from Donna you don't have that viewpoint.
However it is the music that is ultimately important so I can understand that too.

[Shooster]

I don't really buy the excuse that she couldn't hear herself? For 6 years? My experience with Donna has been that on slow songs with arranged harmonies she's pretty good, yet on any jam that's going somewhere she likes to do the moans and yelling in the background, subsequently ruining the vibe for me.

I never really did like a female voice in the dead though, so I am a bit biased.

[hotasaPistol]

For me when I saw Donna with the boys live there was this subtle interaction between her and Bobby that you can't necessarily get from just hearing the music.
It was like body language and little vocal things along the lines of harmonizing and sparking each other along. Also heard a little yarn about them dong the bebop deluxe on the bus..........so who knows.
It is what it was and you cant fix it. There was a reason for it all
Out,
Pistol

[pfarrell615]

the dead are a live band, listening to Donna after the fact is not really fair,ive been at shows i thought were great, and listened afterward and the show sucked

[ker1227]

She is Crucial to the band, except for her war cries in scarlet and Greatest story and maybe someothers idk. i had the chance to meet her recently at a kettle joe show and she was very nice and even told me a jerry story! Plus you cant kick her out, shes screwing the piano player

[weedar]

Tell us the Jerry story!