NBA Hall of Famer, basketball sportscaster, and outspoken Deadhead Bill Walton joined Oteil Burbridge (Dead & Company, Allman Brothers Band) and comedian Mike Finoia for a lively conversation during a recent episode of the Comes A Time podcast via Osiris Media.
As the episode’s description notes, “Like the force of energy that he is, Bill takes the lead in the conversation, sharing stories about his mentors through his athletic career, the creative and exploratory environment of his childhood home, and finding purpose and possibilities through the Grateful Dead music and culture.”
As Bill muses about his first Dead show as a 15-year-old in 1967, “I don’t remember how we got in, because we didn’t have any money, but somehow we got up to the front row, and I never left.”
As the conversation continued, Walton eventually turns the tables and begins to interview Oteil, prompting a deep dive into the decorated musician’s singing career, transitioning between bands, bandmate camaraderie in Dead & Company, and the possibility of bringing back his old afro. The three also discuss Oteil’s, Steve Martin’s and Jerry Garcia’s banjo-playing.
On a more serious note, though equally inspiring, listeners then hear about Bill’s long and arduous journey of learning how to speak, starting at age twenty-eight, after suffering a lifelong speech impediment, for which he now coaches young people with the same issues.
Walton explains, “I just love reading about adventure and about history, biography, about why people succeed in life. And one of the overriding themes on the path to success is that as we’re all chasing this dream, that when we come to the hurdles, when it seems like it’s not going to happen, when the adversity is just overwhelming and just crushing us, somebody, some complete stranger will just come into your life, then all of a sudden give you that little boost, give you the edge, hand you ten dollars, open his hand, come with me. And that and that is what the Grateful Dead is all about.”
Related: Watch Bill Walton Join Dead & Company For “Drums” During 2016 Summer Finale
Watch the Bill Walton episode of Comes A Time with Oteil Burbridge and Mike Finoia via YouTube below or stream it via the platform of your choice here. You can also subscribe to the Comes A Time Patreon for exclusive content and the chance to have your questions answered by Oteil and Mike here.
Comes A Time w/ Oteil Burbridge & Mike Finoia – Bill Walton
[Video: Osiris Media]
With touring still stalled due to the coronavirus, Oteil has been active with various virtual speaking engagements. In addition to Comes A Time Burbridge took part in two of Live For Live Music‘s virtual music festivals in 2020. Click to revisit the Oteil Burbridge interviews from Justice Comes Alive and Democracy Comes Alive.