Legendary Workingman's Dead and American Beauty Songbook – The Only Known Vintage-Signed Example!
Here is an impossibly rare Grateful Dead 1973 published Official Songbook signed on title page by Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzman, Mickey Hart, Robert Hunter, Keith Godchaux and Donna Godchaux, one of whom also inscribed "To Stacy + Tommy." All signatures, except Robert Hunter, are executed in black ballpoint. Hunter has signed in blue ballpoint. The addition of famed Dead lyricist Robert Hunter’s signature is significant, as he was considered an official non-performing member of the band. Indeed, when the Grateful Dead were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, Hunter was included as an official band member, the only non-performer so honored. Worth noting, Keith Godchaux left the band in 1979, and died the following year. Donna Godchaux also left in 1979. It is impossibly rare to find a complete set of vintage mid-1970s Grateful Dead autographs, particularly with the inclusion of Robert Hunter and Keith and Donna Godchaux.
This set is enhanced by the fact that they appear on the title page of the first-ever 1973 Grateful Dead self-published Songbook containing many of the band’s most treasured early 1970s-era songs. The songbook includes all the songs from two of the band’s greatest studio albums: Workingman's Dead and American Beauty. The book has been fully-illustrated with artwork by Alton Kelley and Stanley Mouse, the two legendary artists credited with creating the iconic skull and roses artwork. The 9" x 12", 144-page songbook is published by Ice Nine, the Grateful Dead’s publishing organization. This 1973 first issue release is extremely well-preserved with all pages intact. This is an extraordinary set of complete mid-1970s Grateful Dead signatures, displaying beautifully on the title page of their first ever official songbook, signed at the height of their fame. This is the only true-vintage, fully-signed example of this rare Songbook that we have encountered. An extraordinary Grateful Dead collectible!
Accompanied by a Letter of from Roger Epperson Authentication Ltd. (REAL).