Staying at the fancy damn hotel Biltmore (I think) in Providence, RI, for a 3 night run, in Sept 1987, on the middle night 9/8/87 who should knock at the door but my good friend Larry F, he was trolling the hotel with his good friend Brent Mydland. When they discovered we had a couple of cases of dark imports in they came, after drinking a few, Brent was kind of quiet, and turned down all invitations to partake in more serious and dangerous substances, wouldn’t touch any of it, dark beers only, Brent picked up my guitar, a blonde Epiphone acoustic and proceeded to sing and play Dear Mr. Fantasy and sadly I can’t remember a few more tunes, I think Gimme Some lovin, and something else, he handed the guitar to Larry F who played a few more tunes that Brent sang here and there on,
They swilled a few more beers. during which time we encouraged Brent to step out more and don’t take any crap from the other old dudes in the band, that we loved him and wanted to hear more of him.
Well I think this had an impact on him, because the next night not only did he open the show with Hey Pocky Way, he closed the first set with Devil with a blue dress-Good Golly Miss Molly-back into Devil with a Blue dress, I was amazed at the show the way he led the band thru those songs, during which Jerry G had the hugest shit eating grin on his face, one of my favorite Grateful Dead moments, I still remember that smile. I still love and miss Brent.
Is there another show Brent opened and closed the first set, I don’t know, but I bet not many…those songs that Brent sang, helped the band in so many ways, he could carry the band thru them, he had a lot of talent, and the other guys could at least for a few tunes here and there take a breather.
I really think we helped him overcome something that night, because we all in that room really loved him and he could feel it was genuine, not some Bull
Now Brent is gone, Larry F is gone and another woman who stayed in that room is gone also, I lost track with the other roomies from that night so who knows who else has passed, all in Rock ‘n Roll Heaven I hope.
I actually just opened the case to that guitar the other day… I think I’ll throw some new strings on it; I have to make a few fret markers that have fallen out of the neck.
Good Ole blonde epi, think I will…
They swilled a few more beers. during which time we encouraged Brent to step out more and don’t take any crap from the other old dudes in the band, that we loved him and wanted to hear more of him.
Well I think this had an impact on him, because the next night not only did he open the show with Hey Pocky Way, he closed the first set with Devil with a blue dress-Good Golly Miss Molly-back into Devil with a Blue dress, I was amazed at the show the way he led the band thru those songs, during which Jerry G had the hugest shit eating grin on his face, one of my favorite Grateful Dead moments, I still remember that smile. I still love and miss Brent.
Is there another show Brent opened and closed the first set, I don’t know, but I bet not many…those songs that Brent sang, helped the band in so many ways, he could carry the band thru them, he had a lot of talent, and the other guys could at least for a few tunes here and there take a breather.
I really think we helped him overcome something that night, because we all in that room really loved him and he could feel it was genuine, not some Bull
Now Brent is gone, Larry F is gone and another woman who stayed in that room is gone also, I lost track with the other roomies from that night so who knows who else has passed, all in Rock ‘n Roll Heaven I hope.
I actually just opened the case to that guitar the other day… I think I’ll throw some new strings on it; I have to make a few fret markers that have fallen out of the neck.
Good Ole blonde epi, think I will…
