BERTHA, the groundbreaking all-drag Grateful Dead tribute band, has announced its debut live album and first official release, Slayin’ in the Band Vol. 1.

Due out February 18th, the 19-track collection showcases standout performances from the Nashville-based collective’s recent tours, including shows at Chicago’s Thalia Hall, Colorado’s Ford Amphitheater and Mishawaka Amphitheatre, The Grey Eagle in Asheville, NC, Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas, and more.

The album combines thrilling improvisation with the joy and empowerment of drag culture, featuring high-energy takes on beloved songs like “Scarlet Begonias”, “Fire On The Mountain”, and the group’s namesake “Bertha” that push the Grateful Dead songbook to its limits while honoring the band’s ethos of community and adventure.

Related: How A Nashville “High-Dea” Became BERTHA, The World’s First Grateful Drag Cover Band [Interview]

BERTHA is comprised of Caitlin Doyle and Grammy-winning songwriter Melody Walker alongside Thomas Bryan Eaton (lead guitar), Jacob Groopman (bass), Mike Wheeler (rhythm guitar), Alex Jordan (keys), and Justin Vorp (drums). The band first came together to protest Tennessee’s drag ban and has raised over $25,000 for more than 30 LGBTQ+ organizations by contributing $1 from every ticket sold. They will continue that initiative by donating a portion of album proceeds to Trans Aid Nashville.

Listen to three tracks from Slayin’ in the Band Vol. 1 below or on your preferred streaming platform. Scroll down to view the full tracklist and click here pre-order/pre-save the album.

Following the album release, BERTHA will hit the road, performing in cities across the Pacific Northwest, Northeast, South, and Midwest. Scroll down for a full list of tour dates and head here for tickets.

Slayin’ in the Band Vol. 1 tracklist:

  1. Intro by Grelley Duvall > (Live at Thalia Hall – Chicago, IL – Feb 1, 2025)
  2. Truckin’ (Live at Thalia Hall – Chicago, IL – Feb 1, 2025)
  3. Bertha (Live at Thalia Hall – Chicago, IL – Feb 1, 2025)
  4. Mr. Charlie (Live at Ford Amphitheater – Vail, CO – Jun 17, 2025)
  5. Cassidy (Live at Thalia Hall – Chicago, IL – Feb 1, 2025)
  6. A Brief History of BERTHA (Live at Thalia Hall – Chicago, IL – Feb 1, 2025)
  7. Friend of the Devil (Live at Thalia Hall – Chicago, IL – Feb 1, 2025)
  8. Samson and Delilah (Live at The Mishawaka Amphitheatre – Bellevue, CO – Jun 13, 2025)
  9. St. Stephen (Live at The Grey Eagle – Asheville, NC – May 17, 2025)
  10. It’s All Over Now (Live at The Aggie Theatre – Fort Collins, CO – Nov 23, 2024)
  11. Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo (Live at Ford Amphitheater – Vail, CO – Jun 17, 2025)
  12. Greatest Story Ever Told (Live at Vivarium – Milwaukee, WI – Aug 6, 2025)
  13. Scarlet Begonias > (Live at The Grey Eagle – Asheville, NC – May 17, 2025)
  14. Fire on the Mountain (Live at The Grey Eagle – Asheville, NC – May 17, 2025)
  15. Viola Lee Blues > (Live at Brooklyn Browl – Las Vegas, NV – Apr 18, 2025)
  16. Cumberland Blues > (Live at Brooklyn Browl – Las Vegas, NV – Apr 18, 2025)
  17. Viola Lee Blues (Live at Brooklyn Browl – Las Vegas, NV – Apr 18, 2025)
  18. Stella Blue (Live at Brooklyn Bowl – Brooklyn, NY – Sep 12, 2024)
  19. Terrapin Station (Live at The Mishawaka Amphitheatre – Bellevue, CO – Jun 13, 2025)

BERTHA Tour Dates:

Feb 6+7 – Thalia Hall – Chicago, IL
Feb 19 –  Wonder Ballroom – Portland, OR
Feb 21 – Neptune Theatre –  Seattle, WA
Mar 25 – Bearsville Theater – Woodstock, NY
Mar 27 – Back Porch Music Festival – Northampton, MA
Mar 28 – Higher Ground – South Burlington, VT
April 9 – Grey Eagle – Asheville, NC
April 11 –  Lincoln Theatre – Raleigh, NC
May 8 – State Theatre of Ithaca – Ithaca, NY
May 9 – Asbury Hall – Buffalo, NY
May 15 – Saturn – Birmingham, AL
May 16 – Terminal West – Atlanta, GA
June 13 – Laytonville, CA – Dead on the Creek
June 17 – Headliners – Louisville, KY
June 18-20 – Nelsonville Music Festival – Nelsonville, OH