The Art of Bill Kreutzmann

Preview the Art:

February 16 & 17, 2009 ~ 11-6

Meet the Artist:

February 18, 2009

Private: 6-8 ~ Public: 8-9

For details about the private event please call the gallery: 970.221.2383 or 800 ROCKOUT

Bill's Bio:

Bill Kreutzmann (born May 7, 1946 in Palo Alto, California) was the drummer for legendary rock band the Grateful Dead for their entire 30-year career. Kreutzmann started playing drums at the age of 13, despite having been told by his sixth grade music teacher that he couldn't keep a beat. As a teenager, he met Aldous Huxley at his high school, who encouraged him in his drumming. In 1962, Kreutzmann was working at Dana Morgan's Music Store in Palo Alto, and a young picker named Jerry Garcia stopped in and purchased a banjo from him. Soon after, Garcia also got a job at Dana's teaching guitar lessons, and forged a musical friendship with Kreutzmann that would span four decades.

Kreutzmann formed a new band, the Zodiacs, in 1963, featuring Pigpen on harmonica, Garcia on bass, and Troy Weidenheimer on guitar. The Zodiacs became the Warlocks by 1965, and it wasn't long before the Warlocks went electric. Their first real gig was May 5, 1965, two days before Kreutzmann's 19th birthday. In November of 1965, the Warlocks became the Grateful Dead. Meeting fellow percussionist Mickey Hart in the fall of 1967 would have a big impact on Kreutzmann's career. Hart soon joined the Dead, making it one of the first (and few) rock bands to feature two drummers. The two percussionists' remarkable cohesion, synchronicity, and driving power would be a hallmark of the Grateful Dead sound for the next thirty years, earning them the nickname "The Rhythm Devils". Their ten-minute drum duets, a feature of every show from 1978 - 1995 became legendary in the rock world. Kreutzmann remained with the Grateful Dead until its dissolution following the passing of Garcia in 1995, making him one of the four members to play at every single one of the band's 3,500 shows along with Garcia, Weir and Lesh.

 

Kreutzmann and the Grateful Dead were honored with a life time achievement award at the 2007 Grammy's in Los Angeles, CA. Kreutzmann also does work as a visual artist and, in 2001, began releasing limited edition reproductions of his digital artwork. The newest BK project is a Sirius Radio show called "Drumming into the Light" on The Grateful Dead channel 32 - check it out..........

 

Throughout February Bill will be playing gigs with Oteil Burbridge and Scott Murawski and The Dead will be being touring throughout the spring.