March 15th is one messed up date, my friends. This day in history, musical and otherwise, is chock full of highs and lows – and it’s not always clear which is which.
- Lows: This one’s easy. Julius Caesar, front man for The Romans, had a really bad day on March 15, 44 B.C.
- It depends: Dee Snider (1955) of Twisted Sister, Brett Michaels (1963) of Poison, Mark McGrath (1968) of Sugar Ray and will.i.am (1975) of the Black Eyed Peas were all born on the Ides of March.
- Highs: Phil Lesh, bass man for the Grateful Dead was born March 15, 1940.
Take your pick, TIMH fans. Me? I’m going with the sure bet.
Philip Chapman Lesh was born in Berkeley, CA, in a home where music was a constant stimulant. He took up the violin at age 8, the trumpet at 15. Phil was a music major in college, interested in classical, jazz and avant-garde composition. In the early 60s, he became friends with Jerry Garcia, attending parties where Jerry would sometimes perform. While volunteering at public radio station KPFA, Phil made a demo tape of Jerry and took it to the hostess of one of the programs. She liked what she heard and brought Jerry in to talk and play a 90-minute show. In 1965, Garcia formed a band called the Warlocks, and at one of their earliest gigs went over to Phil to tell him that he was going to be their bass player. Fortunately for all, Phil said: “Why not?” Phil was a curious choice. He had never played bass. Phil learned on the job though, and served as the band’s only bassist during its 30-year life span. After Jerry’s death in 1995 and the Dead’s disbanding, Phil has continued to play their music in The Other Ones, The Dead, Phil Lesh and Friends, and Furthur.
Bill Kreutzmann/Ron "Pigpen" McKernan/Jerry Garcia/Bob Weir/Mickey Hart/Phil Lesh
Phil founded the music venue Terrapin Crossroads in San Rafael, CA. When not touring, his sons Grahame and Brian serve as the house band.
Phil Lesh is a true survivor. Not only did he survive those halcyon (not to be confused with Halcyon tm) days, Phil has also survived chronic hepatitis C., for which he had a liver transplant, as well as prostate and bladder cancer. Indeed, Phil Lesh’s epitaph might well read: Veni, Vidi, Vivo -- I came, I saw, I'm still alive.
Happy 76th Birthday to Phil Lesh!
