Description
By any measure, 1970 was a highwater mark for the Grateful Dead. Hot on the heels of the incredible success of Workingmanrsquos Dead that summer, the band returned in the autumn with the equally stunning American Beauty. Those backtoback classics not only introduced songs that would be a key part of the grouprsquos live repertoire for decades, but they also opened a gateway into the world of the Grateful Dead for generations of Dead Heads. American Beauty will celebrate its 50th anniversary this year with two new releases.The threeCD set includes the original album with newly remastered audio, plus an unreleased concert recorded on February 18, 1971 at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY. The show was mixed from the 16track analog master tapes by Jeffrey Norman at Bob Weirrsquos Marin County TRI Studios and mastered by Grammyreg Awardwinning engineer, David Glasser.nbspThe 12rdquo picture disc includes the original album with newly remastered audio.Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, Ron ldquoPigpenrdquo McKernan, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart recorded American Beauty in August and September 1970 at Wally Heider Studios in San Francisco with producer Stephen Quinn Barncard. When they entered the studio, Workingmanrsquos Dead was still on the charts going strong. Such a quick followup on studio albums was unheard of for the band, and a feat they would never repeat. Equally shocking was the high level of craftsmanship exhibited by new songs like, ldquoFriend Of The Devil,rdquo ldquoSugar Magnolia,rdquo ldquoTruckinrsquo,rdquo and ldquoRipple.rdquo Today, itrsquos still considered to be one of the greatest albums ever made.American Beauty 50thnbspAnniversary Deluxe Edition includes the bandrsquos previously unreleased live performance from February 18, 1971 at the Capitol Theatre, one of the most requested archival recordings in the Deadrsquos vault. On stage that night, the Dead debuted a whole new batch of songs, five in all ldquoWharf Rat,rdquo ldquoPlaying In The Band,rdquo ldquoBertha,rdquo ldquoGreatest Story Ever Toldrdquo and ldquoLoser.rdquo Fans were also treated to a few standbys from the previous decade, including ldquoSt. Stephenrdquo and an inspired ldquoDark Starrdquo jam that led into ldquoWharf Ratrdquo and back to ldquoDark Star.rdquo Notably, keyboardist Ned Lagin who played piano on ldquoCandymanrdquo on American Beauty sat in with the band for the show.
