Speaking about one of his pre-Dead bands, Mother McCree’s Uptown Jug Champions, Weir said, “Playing in the jug band, I learned a healthy respect for the roots of music. You honor the roots of music, and you’re tapping into a vein – there’s juice in there.” I agree. It’s not just what made the Dead a great band (and like them or not, they were great), but what makes any band great.
