Bruce Hornsby Grateful Dead covers are in demand! From his high-school band, to an opening act, to a part-time member and throughout his own career, Bruce Hornsby has always played the music of the Grateful Dead.

Bruce Hornsby’s history with the Grateful Dead

Bruce Hornsby and the Range contributed “Jack Straw” to the Dedicated album of Dead covers, which subsequently proved to be the last recorded work of the Range.

Meanwhile Jerry Garcia appeared on the Night on the Town DVD, reprising his studio contributions on Across the River and Barren Ground. Bruce’s 1995 Hot House record closes with Garcia’s last recorded work.

In addition, Bruce notably inducted the Dead into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, including all band members and a cardboard cutout of Jerry Garcia.

Bruce has also toured performing duo shows with Bob Weir. Throw in years of Furthur Festivals and also the Other Ones, and Bruce has never been far away from the Dead. And Grateful Dead covers are also regular occurrences at a live show. Moreover, Bruce played a special set of “Bruce Sings Jerry” at the 2017 edition of his Funhouse Festival.

Phil Lesh and Bob Weir, especially, have been frequent guests at Bruce’s concerts over the years, and the songs below certainly reflect that.

And of course, Bruce Hornsby subsequently rejoined the remaining members of the Grateful Dead for the Fare Thee Well concerts, celebrating the 50th anniversary.

Highlights

Some of the highlights from these downloads:

Phil Lesh sits in on Truckin, Not Fade Away and also Sugaree, all from Hornsby shows in April 1996

Giovanni Hidalgo brings his drums to Jack Straw in 1996, also joined by Bob Weir

In addition, Steve Kimock’s contribution to Tennessee Jed, from Bruce’s Yoshi’s run in 1998

Finally, RS Hornsby’s guitar from Across the River into Morning Dew. Bruce surprised him with that song as he was a big fan of it, so loved to play it.

Free downloads

Please enjoy almost three hours of Bruce Hornsby Grateful Dead covers, featuring some terrific guests including Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, RS Hornsby and Branford Marsalis.

So please grab your free downloads and take a look around the rest of the site for some terrific shows.

Also many thanks to those of you who have publicised this project, and who have circulated links. If you have requests for any more content, certainly feel free to contact Si.

You’ll also see the different Dead songs listed in the setlists. You’ll also find some individual gems in the Daily Dose archive.

Bruce Hornsby Grateful Dead covers:

01. Iko Iko

» 4.7 MiB - 5,888 downloads

Hampton Beach, NH

August 22 1995

02. Scarlet Begonias

» 6.9 MiB - 5,619 downloads

Toledo, OH

July 23 1994

03. Truckin'

» 8.4 MiB - 4,561 downloads

w/Phil Lesh

San Francisco, CA

April 12 1996

04. Not Fade Away

» 8.2 MiB - 4,502 downloads

w/Phli Lesh

San Francisco, CA

April 12 1996

05. Sugaree

» 9.5 MiB - 4,613 downloads

w/Phil Lesh

Columbus, OH

April 23 1996

06. Terrapin Station > I Know You Rider

» 10.3 MiB - 5,535 downloads

North Tonawanda, NY

August 29 1995

07. Evangeline

» 5.1 MiB - 4,025 downloads

Saratoga, CA

August 24 2001

08. Rainbow's Cadillac > Franklin's Tower

» 19.1 MiB - 4,717 downloads

Morristown, NJ

April 12 1999

09. Ripple

» 5.3 MiB - 4,585 downloads

York, PA

November 12 2000

10. Mandolin Rain > Brokedown Palace

» 9.9 MiB - 4,840 downloads

Williamsport, PA

June 5 1996

11. Tennessee Jed

» 11.6 MiB - 4,344 downloads

w/Phil Lesh and Steve Kimock

Oakland, CA

November 6 1998

12. Row Jimmy

» 4.4 MiB - 4,311 downloads

Wallingford, CT

August 27 2005

13. Samson and Delilah

» 7.5 MiB - 4,306 downloads

w/ Bob Weir

Hartford, CT

July 7 1996

14. Black Muddy River

» 5.7 MiB - 4,355 downloads

Cupertino, CA

April 25 1998

15. Dark Star

» 15.6 MiB - 4,337 downloads

w/ Bob Weir and Branford Marsalis

Bridgeport, CA

July 20 2012

16. Loser

» 9.2 MiB - 4,350 downloads

w/ Phil Lesh and Steve Kimock

Oakland, CA

November 6 1998

17. He's Gone > Wharf Rat

» 13.9 MiB - 4,473 downloads

Wilkes Barre, PA

September 31 1995

18. Standing on the Moon

» 10.8 MiB - 4,495 downloads

location unknown - Williamsburg?

2009

19. Jack Straw

» 9.2 MiB - 4,827 downloads

w/ Giovanni Hidalgo and Bob Weir

Englewood, CO

July 29 1996

20. Across the River > Morning Dew

» 10.5 MiB - 4,992 downloads

w/ R.S.Hornsby

Asheville, NC

August 11 2006

Speaking of the Dead

Bruce always reflects fondly of his time with the band. He told the Phoenix New Times in 2017:

“I wouldn’t trade my time with the Dead for anything; it was a truly singular and often transcendent experience for me. Any time you spend that much time around a musical scene as vast and deep as the Dead world, it can’t help but have an influence. I loved them as writers, so that was an influence; I loved their loose approach, so that was another influence, although having been a jazz major at University of Miami, I was always game for winging it and improvising, and the whole “be kind” philosophy that permeated their scene was another beautiful influence”.

Bruce also spoke about Jerry Garcia to Diablo magazine:

“There are so many memories. He was a very funny guy. I used to phone prank him a lot, and used to make him laugh. I, like millions, miss him a lot.

He was such a bright man, so intelligent, and he had such a broad range of knowledge. He was a walking encyclopedia of folk music. I thought I knew a lot, but when I talked to Garcia I realized there was so much more to learn. I remember riding on the European bus with him in the fall 1990 Dead tour, and just furiously jotting down references to these songs and musicians.

On a comedic level, he turned me on to everyone from Henny Youngman to the Jerky Boys. So, from the humor to the vast range of musical knowledge, he was just a wonderful person.”