MUSICARES TO HONOR THE GRATEFUL DEAD AT THE 2025 PERSONS OF THE YEAR GALA

SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (OCT. 23, 2024) — MusiCares has named iconic rock band the Grateful Dead as the 2025 MusiCares Persons of the Year. In celebration of the band’s 60th anniversary, original members Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh, and Bobby Weir will be recognized for their immense contributions to music, their tireless philanthropic efforts and their pioneering role in fostering communities through their concerts and activism. The special night will also include posthumous tributes to Jerry Garcia, one of the band’s founders. The 34th annual Persons of the Year benefit gala will be held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, two nights before the 67th Annual GRAMMY Award at Crypto.com Arena. 

“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 transcends music, having built a community of fans and collaborators that embody the spirit of connection and support, something that is deeply aligned with MusiCares’ mission. The band’s passion for the arts and philanthropy, along with their enduring commitment to social causes, has made a lasting impact that goes beyond the stage. It is a privilege to celebrate their contributions to both music and humanity.” 

Formed in 1965, the Grateful Dead is one of the most influential bands in American history, renowned for their distinctive blend of rock, folk, jazz, and avant-garde music. In 2007, the band was honored with the Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing their unparalleled contributions to the music industry. Beyond their musical achievements, the Grateful Dead members have made significant contributions to philanthropic causes. Garcia, Hart, Kreutzmann, Lesh, and Weir have all supported efforts ranging from environmental conservation and mental health to music education and social justice. Initiatives like Garcia’s involvement with the Rex Foundation, Hart’s work in music therapy and brain health, Weir’s advocacy for addressing climate change and combating poverty, Kreutzmann’s ocean conservation efforts, and Lesh’s Unbroken Chain Foundation underscore the band’s commitment to making a difference beyond the stage. 

“It’s simple: we all need music. It speaks to each of us, offering what we need to face what life presents—enhancing our joys, helping us spread them, and making our sorrows easier to bear. We can’t imagine a world without it. As our ol’ pal, Jerry, used to say, ‘You get some, you give some back,’ a tremendously effective way to share those benefits.

While we can’t prove that the 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 everything 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 the Muse intends, and each of them is essential, pouring their hearts and spirits into it.

We also want to recognize the community of Dead Heads for their unwavering support over the years—we wouldn’t be here without you.

We are deeply honored to be recognized as MusiCares Persons of the Year. This honor is truly a testament to the legacy of the music, which has always been bigger than us—it’s about the connection between us, the crew, and all those who’ve been on this long strange trip. It’s not just about what we create, but about making sure the people behind it, behind us every night, the ones who quietly make it all happen, get the support they need to keep going, no matter what life throws at them.  We’re grateful to stand with MusiCares and hope everyone continues to support this vital mission to ensure music thrives in perpetuity,” said Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh, and Bobby Weir.

The MusiCares Person of the Year tribute ceremony is one of the most prestigious events held during GRAMMY Week. It includes a cocktail reception, followed by a dinner and tribute concert featuring renowned musicians and other artists paying homage to the Grateful Dead’s profound influence and philanthropy. 

Since its inception in 1991, the Person of the Year gala has raised funds to support MusiCares’ health and human services programs, which offer physical and mental health care, addiction recovery, preventive clinics, unforeseen personal emergencies, and disaster relief to music professionals. The Grateful Dead joins an impressive list of recent MusiCares honorees, including Jon Bon Jovi, Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson, and Joni Mitchell. 

The event will again be produced by live event broadcast outfit Lewis & Clark, made up of Joe Lewis and R.A. Clark. Don Was will join the special evening as Musical Director.

The event would not be possible without support from our sponsor AEG. 

Tables and tickets are available for purchase at http://personoftheyear.musicares.org/. For more information about the event or sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.musicares.org or email [email protected] .  

ABOUT MUSICARES

MusiCares helps the humans behind music because music gives so much to the world. Offering preventive, emergency and recovery programs, MusiCares is a safety net supporting the health and welfare of the music community. Founded by the Recording Academy in 1989 as a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) charity, MusiCares safeguards the well-being of all music people through direct financial grant programs, networks of support resources, and tailored crisis relief efforts. For more information please visit: www.musicares.org.

ABOUT GRATEFUL DEAD 

The Grateful Dead is a social and musical phenomenon that grew into a genuine American treasure. In 1965, an entire generation was linked together by common ideals, gathering by the hundreds and thousands. This movement created a seamless connection between the band and its fans. As the band toured, Dead Heads would follow. Not because it was a part of popular culture but because it is a true counterculture that exists to this very day – one that earnestly believes in the value of its beliefs. By 1995, the Grateful Dead had attracted the most concertgoers in the history of the music business, and today remains one of the all-time leaders in concert ticket sales. Eventually, the caravan evolved into a community with various artists, craftsmen and entrepreneurs supplying a growing demand for merchandise that connected them to the music. Today, the connection is as strong as ever. The band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 and received a Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007. In 2024, the Grateful Dead will be included in the 47th class of the Kennedy Center Honorees. Their final tally of 2,318 total concerts remains a world record. The Grateful Dead recently celebrated their 61st Top 40 album on the Billboard chart, a feat no other artist has achieved. 

ABOUT LEWIS & CLARK

The live broadcast production outfit, Lewis & Clark, brings together Joe Lewis, founder of the Joe Lewis Company (JLC), and R.A. Clark, president and Emmy-nominated executive producer of Lion’s Heart Entertainment. As a team, the two have overseen thousands of hours of live television programming and thousands of live consumer and fan-facing events including 2024 MusiCares Person of the Year honoring Jon Bon Jovi, the Academy Awards Pre-Show, the GRAMMYs®, The Academy of Country Music Awards and all NFL tentpoles to include the Super Bowl, NFL Draft, Pro Bowl, and NFL Kick-Off Concert.

The company offers full-service TV production, live event production and creative services. Their Los Angeles campus offers in-house scenic fabrication, design and printing facilities, and an entire logistics staff. Find out more at: lewisandclark.tv