The Grateful Dead honored at Grammys gala as 'joy and positivity' shine bright after L.A. fires

Grammy weekend kicked off with a tie-dyed bang as the Grateful Dead were honored as MusiCares Persons of the Year on Friday night in downtown Los Angeles.

The annual charity gala has always been a party with purpose, but it really hit home as the event raised money for music people impacted by the devastating wildfires. The night included standout performances from Wynonna Judd, Noah Kahan and John Mayer.

The dress code was "colorful black tie" and many in the crowd obliged as Deadheads rocked tie-dyed suit jackets and rainbow gowns to honor the legendary rock band. Drummer Mickey Hart and guitarist Bob Weir were on hand to accept the honor. Although it's been a somber mood around the city since Jan. 7, it was clear people in the music community were ready to have a little fun.

"Music has always been humanity's greatest healer," Hart said when he took the stage at the end of the two-and-a-half-hour show.

The bars around the convention center were jam-packed as colorful dancing bears greeted guests upon arrival. Rainbow grilled cheese was served on silver platters for anyone who was too busy socializing and missed the seated dinner. After all, the band is known for bringing people together and spreading joy. The crowd was ready to do just that.

Deadhead Andy Cohen, who hosted the evening's festivities, said he was excited "to honor a band that's been a full-throttle source of joy and positivity throughout my life, and many of yours."

"I've lost count of how many Dead shows I've seen," he told the attendees. "It's hard to remember things when you are on a high, literally and figuratively. And what makes me high, it always comes back to the music. ... They're eternal reminders that a sense of community and humanity can still be achieved through music, and that's why we're all here tonight, because we all agree that their music is the nucleus that has kept a sometimes flaky world pure."

Grammys week has looked different this year — as will Sunday's show — as most pre-parties were canceled. Nearly every hand in the room on Friday night was raised when the 2,520 guests were asked if they'd either been impacted by the fires or knew someone who had.

"Throughout the Grammy weekend, we'll continue to raise awareness and funds. We celebrate first responders and support this city's renewal," Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said in his opening remarks. "So as we begin the 2025 Grammy weekend, there's no better honoree than the Grateful Dead. Their music has uplifted millions, and their philanthropy is legendary. ... We can't wait to celebrate you and hear your music brought to life by some incredible, amazing artists."

The tribute concert got going a little after 8:30 p.m. as Weir opened on guitar, accompanied by an orchestra. The War and Treaty took the stage with Mick Fleetwood and Stewart Copeland, who kicked things off with a high-energy performance of "Samson and Delilah." Despite some technical difficulties for My Morning Jacket and Maggie Rose, they rebounded nicely next with a stellar performance of "One More Saturday Night."

Norah Jones captivated the crowd, including star Woody Harrelson, when she sang "Ripple." But it was Judd who got the first standing ovation from both Hart and Weir after she sang "Ramble on Rose."

Ahead of her performance, Judd shouted out Weir and thanked him for showing up for her when her mother, Naomi Judd, died in 2022.

"You are my family of choice. You showed up when my momma died and sang at her funeral," she said. "I'm just grateful to be anywhere, especially here tonight."

The evening rolled on with standout performances from Noah Kahan and Béla Fleck ("Friend Of The Devil"), Zak Brown and Marcus King ("Bertha") and Vampire Weekend, who had almost everyone out of their seat when they sang "Scarlet Begonias."

Cohen had the crowd laughing when he interviewed pal John Mayer, who has been the lead singer of Dead & Company since 2015, when asked what is the "horniest" Grateful Dead song.

"There are not a lot of horny Grateful Dead songs unless you're horny for gambling or drinking out of an old bottle," Mayer replied. "Now that you mention it, there is 'Looks Like Rain' where Bob sings about street cats making love."

The evening's performances included memorable ones from Dwight Yoakam, Maren Morris, Lukas Nelson and Sierra Ferrell, Billy Strings, Sammy Hagar, Bruce Hornsby and the War On Drugs. Mayer took the stage at the end of the night to perform "Terrapin Station." Dead & Company closed out the show with a trio of songs "Althea," "Sugar Magnolia" and "Touch of Grey."

Harrelson presented friends Weir and Hart with their MusiCares award. Drummer Bill Kreutzmann was unable to attend; however, his son Justin came in his place. They were also joined at the event by bandmate Jerry Garcia's daughter, Trixie, and Phil Lesh's son, Grahame. Lesh died in October. Garcia died in 1995.

"The road is a rough existence, as plainly evidenced by the simple fact that there aren't all that many of my old bandmates here tonight to receive this recognition," Weir said. "Longevity was never a major concern of ours. Lighting folks up and spreading joy through music was all we really had in mind."