The latest installment in the Grateful Dead‘s All The Years Live archive video series is available now on the band’s YouTube page. This entry highlights the Dead’s performance of “Bird Song” from Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, NC on July 10th, 1990.
Coming in at the tail end of set one, this “Bird Song” features a guest sit-in from Bruce Hornsby on accordion backing up Brent Mydland on keys. Just over two weeks later, Mydland would die and Hornsby would step up to take his post on a temporary basis before Vince Welnick was brought on as a permanent replacement. Here we see some beautiful interplay between Hornsby and Mydland as they co-opt the stage left keyboard space as equals and help propel the band into some first set exploration.
Grateful Dead archivist and legacy manager David Lemieux notes in the video’s description,
Bird Song was the one song that could consistently be relied upon to provide some first-set deep space in the 1980-1995 period. It was always wonderful to hear where the Dead would take this classic Garcia-Hunter song from Jerry’s first solo record.
Watch the Grateful Dead perform “Bird Song” at Carter-Finley Stadium on July 10th, 1990.
Grateful Dead – “Bird Song” – Raleigh, NC – 7/10/90
[Video: Grateful Dead]
Previous installments of the Dead’s ongoing All The Years Live series have included: