What a long strange journey it was, indeed.
The Grateful Dead, a band that was never even nominated for a Grammy and became one of the most legendary live acts in history despite having a whopping 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, will be honored as MusiCares Persons of 2025 the Year. The 34th Annual Person of the Year Benefit Gala will be held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Friday, January 31, 2025, two nights before the 67th Annual Grammy Awards at the Crypto.com Arena.
The Grateful Dead are the third band to receive the honor, following Fleetwood Mac in 2018 and Aerosmith in 2020. For the band's 60th anniversary in 2025, original members Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh and Bobby Weir will receive recognition for their contributions to music, their philanthropic efforts and their pioneering role in strengthening communities through their concerts and activism. The event will also include posthumous tributes to Jerry Garcia, one of the band's founders, who died in 1995 aged 53.
Hart, Kreutzmann, Lesh and Weir issued a lengthy joint statement on the honor. Here it is, in detail:
“It's simple: we all need music. It speaks to each of us, offering what we need to deal with what life presents—enhancing our joys, helping us spread them, and making our sorrows easier. We cannot imagine a world without it. As our friend Jerry used to say, “You take some, you give some back,” an extremely effective way to share those benefits.
“While we can't prove that Muse – the force behind what we do – is working to build a support system for the show, over sixty years in music has taught us that it takes a lot of dedicated people to bring anything to life. Each person behind the scenes has honed their skills to meet the many needs of the show. Without them, it wouldn't be what Musa intended, and each of them is essential, pouring their heart and spirit into it.
“We also want to acknowledge the Dead Heads community for their unwavering support over the years – we wouldn't be here without you.
“We are honored to be recognized as MusiCares Person of the Year. This honor is truly a testament to the legacy of music, which has always been bigger than us—it's about the connection between us, the crew, and all those who have been on this long strange journey. It's not just about what we create, but making sure the people behind it, behind us every night, the ones who quietly make it all happen, have the support they need to carry on, no matter what's thrown at them the life. We are grateful to stand with MusiCares and hope everyone will continue to support this vital mission to ensure that music thrives in perpetuity.”
Formed in 1965, the Grateful Dead are one of the most influential bands in American history, known for their distinctive blend of rock, folk, jazz and avant-garde music. In December, the month before the MusiCares honor, the Grateful Dead will be included in the 47th class of Kennedy Center Honorees, along with Bonnie Raitt, Arturo Sandoval, Francis Ford Coppola and the Apollo Theater in Harlem.
The Dead's final tally of 2,318 concerts remains a world record. An album recorded at their concert at Barton Hall at Cornell University in 1977 was entered into the National Recording Registry in 2011.
As noted, the band never received a Grammy nomination, but has two recordings in the Grammy Hall of Fame: the back-to-back 1970 studio albums Workingman's Dead (1970) and American Beauty. The band also received the Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007.
The Dead were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, the year before Garcia died.
The band reached the Billboard 200 with 124 titles. The highest charting album was 1987's Arista In the darkwhich peaked at No. 6. This album also spawned the band's only top Hot 100 hit, “Touch of Grey”. (The band's signature song, “Truckin',” was their second highest-charting single, reaching No. 64 in 1971.)
In February, the group broke the record for most Top 40 albums on the Billboard 200 since the chart began being published on a regular weekly basis in March 1956. It has since added two more Top 40 albums, for a record total. 61.
The MusiCares Person of the Year ceremony is one of the most prestigious events held during Grammy Week. Includes a cocktail reception, followed by dinner and a tribute concert.
Since its inception in 1991, the Person of the Year gala has raised funds to support MusiCares' health and human services programs, which provide physical and mental health care, addiction recovery, prevention clinics, unforeseen personal emergencies and relief from disasters to music professionals.
Five-time Grammy winner Don Was will serve as musical director for the event. The gala will again be hosted by the Lewis & Clark live event team of Joe Lewis and RA Clark. They also oversaw last year's gala honoring Jon Bon Jovi. AEG is the main sponsor of the event.
“MusiCares is proud to honor the Grateful Dead at the 2025 Persons of the Year Gala,” said Laura Segura, executive director of MusiCares. “Their legacy goes beyond music, having created a community of fans and partners who embody a spirit of connection and support, which is deeply aligned with the mission of MusiCares. The band's passion for the arts and philanthropy, along with their ongoing commitment to social causes, have made a lasting impact that goes beyond the stage. It is a privilege to celebrate their contribution to both music and humanity.”
In addition to their musical achievements, the members of the Grateful Dead have made significant contributions to philanthropic causes. Garcia, Hart, Kreutzmann, Lesh, and Weir have supported efforts ranging from environmental conservation and mental health to music education and social justice. Initiatives such as Garcia's involvement with the Rex Foundation, Hart's work in music therapy and brain health, Weir's advocacy on climate change and the fight against poverty, Kreutzmann's ocean conservation efforts, and Unbroken Chain Lesh's Foundation underscore the band's commitment to making a difference beyond the stage.
Tables and tickets are available for purchase at http://personoftheyear.musicares.org/. For more information about the event or sponsorship opportunities, visit MusiCares.org or email personoftheyear@musicares.org.
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/grateful-dead-2025-musicares-persons-of-the-year-1235808485/