As a boy, Lesh and his family would often go on tour with his dad and the high-flying Dead when the band was one of the top-grossing touring acts in the concert business, drawing record-breaking crowds across the country. From the beginning Grahames guitar chops, powerful vocals and harmonic touch helped form the backbone of the bands sound. I think thats pretty typical of a teenager in certain places. J: It was actually a really positive experience, for the most part. WebOn 15-3-1940 Phil Lesh (nickname: Phil) was born in Berkeley, California, United States. This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. He has a ginger beard and reddish-brown hair pulled back into a man bun. Reflecting on the time since their origin, Midnight North is ready to tell the world its story. Were not a jam band, but we can jam, he says. But, the lifestyle of musicians on the road is nothing new to Lesh, who was a newborn when the Grateful Dead hit superstar status with the double-platinum In the Dark. Recorded in the Marin Veterans Memorial Auditorium in San Rafael, it was the Deads only top 10 album, boosted by the bands one and only hit single, Touch of Grey.. I've been married to my hubs Grahame Lesh for two years. Lesh, who earned a bachelors degree in communications and a masters in music science technology, both from Stanford University, chatted with Highway 81 Revisited about the development of Midnight North which also features Elliott Peck on vocals, Alex Jordan on organ, guitar and vocals, Connor Croon on bass and Alex Koford on drums the Grateful Deads influence, jamming with his dad and much more. The goal is to keep doing it and have a go of it as a group. I still love it. It wasnt the right destination, but it was the right path. Always focused on the song and the groove, whether it be his or another's, Grahame's music stays rooted in the present while touching on all aspects of rock, folk, blues, soul, and more. Midnight North, which has become a fixture in the San Francisco Bay Area scene with frequent performances at venues like Phil Leshs own Terrapin Crossroads, kicks off an East Coast run this week at the River Street Jazz Cafe in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., on Wednesday, Oct. 26 and The Ardmore Music Hall on Thursday, Oct. 27. For music licensing and all other inquires please contact: hello@midnightnorth.com. Not really. As a boy, Lesh and his family would often go on tour with his dad and the high-flying Dead when the band was one of the top-grossing touring acts in the concert business, drawing record-breaking crowds across the country. It was kind of a coincidence that it all happened at the same time. In your fathers book, Searching for the Sound, he talks about you and your brother Brian being on the road, watching Dead concerts from the stage. Phil Lesh & Friends ft. Phil Lesh & Friends ft. Rick Mitarotonda, John Medeski, Grahame Lesh, Nicki Bluhm (3/17-19), James Casey, Natalie Cressman (3/15), Jennifer Hartswick (3/15), Katie Jacoby (3/17-19) + John Molo play for 4 nights on March 15, 17, 18 + 19. Grahame and I never pass up an opportunity to visit our friends in Alabama so of course we had to go and support their event! He is facing a long period of rehab, and his insurance will only pay a portion of this. He seems himself as a part of a vibrant new music scene that has been built around the club, a kind of petri dish for young musicians to experiment and grow. Those two are a big influence for a guy and a gal singing together, and they definitely are for us, Lesh says. Its been really fun. But the scene seems to be thriving. We were going to find a place and plug into it and beam it up to the rock-and-roll satellite and send it all over the world. Now 72, Lesh retains an intense passion for music. They were playing these huge stadiums then, he says. Have you been keeping an eye on the local scene? His father didnt play publicly for a couple of years after Garcias death, eventually enjoying renewed success with Phil and Friends, an ever-changing group that featured him with members of various name bands, including the Allman Brothers, Phish and Government Mule. WebThe Real Housewives of Atlanta The Bachelor Sister Wives 90 Day Fiance Wife Swap The Amazing Race Australia Married at First Sight The Real Housewives of Dallas My 600-lb Life Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. In its review of 2018s Peach Music Festival in Pennsylvania, Rolling Stone voted Midnight North best new act, saying the group takes the best parts of roots music and weaves them into a tapestry of rock and Americana., During the same week as the Terrapin concert, Midnight North will be in Allegiant Records studio in San Anselmo with producer David Simon-Baker, recording its fourth studio album, the follow-up to 2017s Under the Lights., Well probably try out some of the new tunes from the album at the show, Lesh says, sitting on a stool at a high table in the Grate Room, which is empty and quiet on an off night. "Superstar" Billy Graham was hospitalized inearly January due to an ear infection that spread to his skull and sent him into cardiac arrest, per Wrestling Inc. are making huge strides to revitalize Mobile and the Gulf Coast, especially in the wake of this year's terrible hurricanes. We had a wonderful dinner, and I was so grateful to have my biological family and my band family in one place! Both Lesh and his brother went to the Branson School in Ross, where being the sons of a rock star was no big deal. Touch of Grey came out when I was less than a year old, Lesh, 29, who plays guitar and sings in the band Midnight North, said during a recent phone interview. In the post, which was shared last week, Valerie, who also contracted COVID-19, said that her husband has "developed chills, cough and nausea. Vist her website at http://www.mamarazi.com. years ago, when he was just growing into the great musician he is today. Phil Lesh & Friends and the TFB have welcomed guests like Sheryl Crow, Benmont Tench, John Scofield, Rick Mitarotonda, Nicki Bluhm, Dawes, Warren Haynes, Eric Krasno, Bob Weir, and many more onstage as they performed at venues and festivals around the world. After graduating from Stanford University in 2010 with a masters degree in music, Grahame Lesh, 33-year-old scion of Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh, wasnt sure if he wanted to follow in his famous fathers footsteps, trying to make a career for himself as a professional rock musician. One recent and especially fun trip was over the week of Thanksgiving for a three-show run with the Terrapin Family Band. Listen on all streaming services or check it out on Bandcamp where you can get a physical copy on CD. All rights reserved. End of the Night (mixed & produced by Connor) was released in June 2013 as they officially debuted the name Midnight North. A mainstay in the scene centered around Terrapin Crossroads in San Rafael, Grahame has joined such luminaries as The Mother Hips, Chris Robinson, Twiddle, Amy Helm, The North Mississippi All Stars, Neal Casal, Jackie Greene, Eric Krasno, ALO, and many more in singing, playing, and interpreting the American songbook. Plus were both in the zany sisterhood of tour wives! As the months ticked by they let the rest of the newly written & recorded songs sink into their consciousness so that when work resumed on the album in June the entire album became even better than they could have hoped. After graduation, he and his wife, Claire, who works as a bookkeeper at Terrapin, moved to San Rafael. copyright 2018. all rights reserved. Weve had this opportunity at Terrapin to really hone our skills., Since then, hes been recording and touring with his own band, Midnight North, a rootsy quartet that kicks off the new year with a show Jan. 18 in Terrapins Grate Room concert hall. you may not take any images or content from this site without written permission. Its kinda cool, though. My brother and I would just run around from area to area, and eventually wed run into everyone.. To discover more podcasts that connect you more deeply to the music you love, check out osirispod.com. Im not gonna break any news or anything, but he had his scare about a year ago, and it was just that, luckily. Midnight North's new live album "Selections from Levon Helm Studios", co-produced by Grahame, was released in May of 2022 to celebrate Midnight North's legendary show at Levon Helm Studios in November of 2019. My name is Claire, and I had the pleasure of meeting Alex when she and Ryan came out to visit San Francisco. That, of course, didnt happen. In early 2012 they played their first show as Grahame Lesh & Friends. My dads still going and hes almost 80, he says. You changed the name from Terrapin Landing to Terrapin Crossroads. I assumed Id always be playing music, but I figured it could be a hobby.. J: Bobby [Weir] was talking about the Sweetwater and Terrapin Crossroads having a synergy, with different people coming in. Self-proclaimed water people, Alex and Petra, Snow in Marin?? The show Saturday was stellar as always, but the highlight for me was when the whole band came to my parents' house for an early Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday. It was then revealed on his official Facebook page that the 79-year-old has contracted COVID-19. As a music fan, who are some of your favorite artists to listen to? And Im excited about having young musicians come in and play. How did you hone that? Grahame became buddies with Jake (who was the Giants' pitcher at the time) by bonding over Tiger, Jerry Garcia's guitar. "Friends, Wayne (Billy) has had a very rough run lately," the page reads. After the Grateful Dead disbanded upon Jerry Garcias death in 1995, the bassist launched Phil Lesh & Friends, a group featuring revolving membership that he continues to perform with today. As a high school kid, he was more into Metallica than the Grateful Dead, but now sees the Deads classic albums American Beauty and Workingmans Dead as influential in the country rock sound of Midnight North. Ive always been an incredibly big Ryan Adams fan and all 6,000 songs hes written or whatever (laughs). Weve had this opportunity at Terrapin to really hone our skills., Since then, hes been recording and touring with his own band, Midnight North, a rootsy quartet that kicks off the new year with a show Jan. 18 in Terrapins Grate Room concert hall. Last summer, the band released its second studio album, Scarlet Skies, and its live albumLive at Terrapin Crossroads is available for free download. The title seems to embody the pragmatic attitude Lesh and band are taking as they look at building their audience and career. The majority of people were extremely supportive. And I love (Jeff) Chimenti. Copyright 2023 PopCulture.com. They wrote many of the songs on their last album, Under the Lights, about their experiences touring for the first time as a fledgling band. In its review of 2018s Peach Music Festival in Pennsylvania, Rolling Stone voted Midnight North best new act, saying the group takes the best parts of roots music and weaves them into a tapestry of rock and Americana., During the same week as the Terrapin concert, Midnight North will be in Allegiant Records studio in San Anselmo with producer David Simon-Baker, recording its fourth studio album, the follow-up to 2017s Under the Lights., Well probably try out some of the new tunes from the album at the show, Lesh says, sitting on a stool at a high table in the Grate Room, which is empty and quiet on an off night. And if theyre searching for a role model, they need look no further than Leshs father. I've been married to my hubs Grahame Lesh for two years. Would dismantling Interstate 980 repair damage to Black neighborhoods? Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. As one of the few male-female lead duos in rock, Lesh and Peck have been inspired by the collaboration between Grammy winners Susan Tedeschi and guitarist Derek Trucks, the husband-wife team in the Tedeschi Trucks Band. The band began touring in June 2015, with the release of their second album Scarlet Skies. Phil Lesh is married to his wife Jill Lesh, and the couple has two children namely Grahame Lesh and Brian Lesh. Why do you think the Deads music has remained so popular 50 years down the road? Dear Abby: Why do they imply my husband is a freak? We want to involve everybody in the community and have them feel like this is a place for them to come hang out. are making huge strides to revitalize Mobile and the Gulf Coast, especially in the wake of this year's terrible hurricanes. He won the WWE Championship, (called the World Wide Wrestling Federation at the time) in 1997 and held the title for 206 days before losing it to Bob Backlund. But in 2012, when his parents opened Terrapin Crossroads a bar, restaurant and live music venue in San Rafael the stage was set for him to enter the family business. After graduating from Stanford University in 2010 with a masters degree in music, Grahame Lesh, 33-year-old scion of Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh, wasnt sure if he wanted to follow in his famous fathers footsteps, trying to make a career for himself as a professional rock musician. Lesh's high tenor voice contributed to the Grateful Dead's three-part harmony sections in their group vocals in the early days of the band, until he largely relinquished singing high parts to Donna Godchaux (and thence Brent Mydland and Vince Welnick) in 1976 due to vocal cord damage from improper singing technique. Last year, she released a solo album, Further from the Storm, and had her CD release show at Terrapin. He made his 50 million dollar fortune with Grateful Dead & Phil Lesh and Friends. #ClaireLesh #PhilLesh #GrahameLesh #MidnightNorth #PhilLeshandFriends #TerrapinFamilyBand #SanFrancisco #JillLesh #TerrapinCrossroads #Nashville #Thanksgiving #Mobile #JakePeavyFoundation #JerryGarcia #Guitar #Tiger #Giants #MLB #CentralAlabama #RyanDempsey #BobWeir #MihaliSavoulidis. Obligatory wedding picture with the whole Terrapin Crossroads crew. It's always a little bittersweet to leave, so at least we have cuddly dogs waiting for us when we get home! Jill Lesh: Weve done 50 shows already, between the Grate Room and the bar. At Stanford, Lesh dabbled in various bands, gaining practical experience recording in the universitys studio and performing the occasional frat party gig. Its a really nice balance to have more than one front person, Peck says. The pair begin by discussing Terrapin Crossroads, the music venue/restaurant in San Rafael, California that was founded by his father and Grateful Dead member Phil Lesh. I cant imagine anything that I could enjoy more than playing music down here. Theme music by Chris Pandolfi. In Midnight North, he shares songwriting and lead vocal duties with Elliott Peck, a transplanted Midwesterner regarded as one of the top female singer-songwriters on the Bay Area music scene. Lesh took piano lessons as a boy and got into the guitar as a teenager, learning the rudiments pretty much on his own. Plus I got to learn the ropes from my mother-in-law and world's #1 tour wife, Jill Lesh (Phil's wife of 30+ years). The venues debut in March came just two months after the reopening of the Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley, an effort led in part by bandmate Weir. Graham is known for his time in WWE during the 1970s and 1980s. I remember that I drew Jerry in a picture of what was supposed to be him on the moon.. P: Yes, thats definitely part of the program. Grahame Lesh. It wasnt really much of an issue.. So far it has been absolutely great. If Im 6 or 7 years old at the time, theres no way I understand that, but now Ive played it a bunch, and I get it. On this evening, hes wearing a Midnight North T-shirt, the creation of a fan. Somebody the other night, after Id just finished playing a bar show with both of my sons, came up and he asked, Phil, have you ever been happier? And I have to admit, I couldnt say that I ever have. Join Grahame Lesh & Friends in the Foeger Ballroom for a woven tapestry of roots, rock, and Americana. The next morning we set off in a tour bus for Mobile, Alabama, where the band played two benefit shows put on by the Jake Peavy Foundation. Who is Phil Lesh dating in 2023? These 10 Whopping Homes & Cars Of Celebrities Look Amazing! Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot concedes defeat, Southern California home sales fall to all-time low, Denver just got a direct flight to this Caribbean island known for music history and vegetarian cooking, NYC Mayor Adams dismisses need to separate church and state, declares himself a servant of God, Zero-calorie sweetener linked to heart attack and stroke, study finds, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Based in the musical hotbed of Marin County, California, Grahame Lesh is a guitar player and singer-songwriter for Midnight North, Phil Lesh & Friends, & the Terrapin Family Band. Jake and his awesome team (shoutout to Sarah Lauren and Ben!) Advance tickets from just $25. We do these crazy long shows at Terrapin Crossroads, and hes still going strong at hour four. Mastered by Justin Thomas and Revoice Media. In late 2012 the band went into the studio for the first time, tracking the entirety of their debut album End of the Night in just 2 days. I grew up in San Rafael, and you discover there are still plenty of younger folks moving to or living in Marin. I do, vaguely. Graham nerding out over all the incredible MLB memorabilia at Jake's. On this evening, hes wearing a Midnight North T-shirt, the creation of a fan. I recently decided to start this blog to give you all a look into the life of a tour wife - the highs, the lows, and EVERYTHING in between! Grahame Lesh, Elliott Peck, & Connor OSullivan began playing together in San Francisco. The Peavys welcomed us all with open arms and a helluva meal. I think I said something to the effect of, Why havent you ever played this? And I guess childhood innocence or ignorance mustve made my dad realize, Why havent we? Yeah, its really cool that they busted it out, and they did it at Fare Thee Well. Terrapin features free bands in the bar every night, and before he knew it, Grahame was serving his apprenticeship as a working musician, playing guitar and singing with his dad and younger brother, Brian, 30, in the Terrapin Family Band. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Time: Doors 8:30p | Show 9:00p Tickets: $20 Adult (18+) | Junior (7-17) $10 Get Tickets We started dating in college ten (?!) The musician his starsign is Pisces and he is now 82 years of age. Grahame and I never pass up an opportunity to visit our friends in Alabama so of course we had to go and support their event! A crossroads is like a place where you continue a journey. I remember that I drew Jerry in a picture of what was supposed to be him on the moon.. Graham's wife, Valerie, gave an update on his health status and asked the fans to pray for him. 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