Grateful Dead Record Label: Who Are They Signed To? 2024 Deal Info & Past Contracts

Curious about what record label Grateful Dead is signed to? Want to know all about past deals, releases, net worth, and Grateful Dead masters ownership?  Perfect; you're in the right place! In this post, we are exploring all of that and more, so scroll on 🙂 …

 

Who Were Grateful Dead Signed To?

Arista Records Grateful Dead were signed to Arista Records and it was Arista that distributed all of their commercially successful albums from that era. Grateful Dead later collaborated with Arista to release albums by other associated bands, such as Ratdog, Bobby & The Midnites, Vince Welnick's Missing Man Foundation, Jerry Garcia Band, and Phil Lesh & Friends. Brent Mydland played keyboards on the first Silver album, which was also released on Arista. Grateful Dead's music continues to live on through their devoted fan base and is still enjoyed by many today.

Artist Background: Grateful Dead's Previous Record Labels & Contracts

The Grateful Dead, was released in 1967 on Warner Brothers Records. After a few years, the band established its own record label, Grateful Dead Records, with the help of their manager Ron Rakow. The label released the band's second album, Wake of the Flood, in 1973. The album was a commercial success and helped to propel the band to new levels of popularity. Following the success of Wake of the Flood, the band returned to the studio and released From the Mars Hotel in 1974. But soon after the release of From the Mars Hotel, the Dead made the decision to stop performing live. The band gave a run of five farewell shows at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco in October 1974 before going on hiatus. The Dead returned to live performance in 1976 and continued to perform regularly until 1995. The band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.  

Awards: Grateful Dead's Achievements

• The Grateful Dead were voted No. 57 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time in 2004. • The Grateful Dead were presented with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award on February 10, 2007. Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann accepted the award on behalf of the group. • 2011 saw the Grateful Dead's performance at Cornell University's Barton Hall on May 8, 1977, captured on tape and admitted into the Library of Congress's National Recording Registry. • In 1994, the Grateful Dead had twelve members (the eleven playing members plus Robert Hunter) who were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Bruce Hornsby delivered the induction speech.”  

How Did Grateful Dead Get Famous?

The Grateful Dead got their start in 1965 as the Warlocks, a Palo Alto, California jug band. The group quickly changed their name to the Grateful Dead after learning that another band had already released a record under the same name. The new name was inspired by a dictionary entry for the term “Grateful Dead.”
The band's first big break came when they were discovered by Ken Kesey, who invited them to play at his famous “Big Beat Acid Test” parties. It was at these parties that the Grateful Dead began to develop their unique style of music, which blended elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, and blues.
Over the next five years, the band became one of the most popular bands in the country, thanks in part to their legendary live performances. In 1970, the Grateful Dead released their first studio album, which cemented their reputation as one of the greatest rock bands of all time.  

Did Grateful Dead Write Their Own Songs?

While The Grateful Dead did write their own songs, they were also heavily influenced by Bob Dylan, Chuck Berry, and others. In addition, the band was helped early on by psychedelic chemist Augustus Owsley Stanley III, who provided them with financial support and access to his studio. Later, the band would also enlist the help of Robert Hunter as a full-time lyricist, and John Perry Barlow as a songwriting partner.  

What is Grateful Dead's Net Worth?

Jerry Garcia, of the Grateful Dead's networth is amounting to $15 million. And, as of August 2022, Bob Weir is worth an estimated $60 Million.  

Other Artists Signed To Arista Records

Artists under the Arista Records include J-Kwon, Brett James, Monica, Lennon Murphy, Santana, Louis Tomlinson, Ryan Tyler, Sky, Westlife, and many more.  

Do Grateful Dead Own Their Masters?

Grateful Dead Productions, the group's umbrella company, now owns all 22 of the full-time employees of Grateful Dead Merchandising, which is situated in Novato, California. Grateful Dead's publishing business, Ice Nine, and Warner Chappell have agreed to a global administration agreement that covers the jam band's approximately 200 original tunes. As a result of this agreement, Grateful Dead Productions now controls all of the band's merchandising. This is a significant development for the Grateful Dead, as it allows them to maintain full control over their image and how their music is used. It also ensures that the band will be able to continue to produce new merchandise and sell it through their own channels. This is a major win for the band and their fans.  

The Wrap Up

There you have it! I'm curious, was that what you expected from Grateful Dead? Let me know in the comment section…

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