In what's getting to be a tradition, John Mayer paid tribute to Jerry Garcia on his social media just before embarking on a new tour with Dead and Company.
The band's latest run starts tonight (Wednesday) in Mansfield, Massachusetts. Mayer began by stating that "the night before a Dead and Company tour is always deeply felt," but that he wishes he "was going to a Grateful Dead concert tomorrow instead." While he says he'd prefer to be dancing with his friends while listening "to Jerry and the band play," he calls it "the honor of a lifetime" to convert his love for their music "into the further telling of this beautiful, timeless story with some of its brilliant authors."
Mayer went on to explain that he feels he's no different from anyone else in the crowd with an immense love for the Dead, but that he gets to represent it from the stage. He says he "thinks of Jerry Garcia and his intentions with every song" they play, and that he's "only there so that on my best of nights, you might get to him.”
Dead and Company comprises Grateful Dead core members Bob Weir, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann plus bassist Oteil Burbridge, keyboardist Jeff Chimenti and Mayer.