Happy Birthday Robert Hunter

[Mike Pilgrim]

Guitarist, bassist, mandolinist, lyricist for the Grateful Dead. Born June 23, 1941.

Happy 70th, Hunter!

[dcoventry]

Robert Hunter really was the man behind the curtain. I more soul, interesting and well spoken bard would be hard to find. He is quite simply one of the american greats.

[deadend3]

Happy Birthday Robert Hunter! A truly distinct artist. You can always spot his phrasing and style a mile away. Hunter is responsible for so many incredible songs. He and Garcia were so perfectly matched in their ability to combine words and melody into unique compositions. Here is one or my fav Robert Hunter songs. Step Up!!!

[Paul Merlo]

I'm so very thankful my brother made sure I got the chance to see him solo in '98.

This clip has been an inspiration and resonated with me ever since I saw it...

[chipotle]

wow, 70......hard to believe. Great lyricist!

[dcoventry]

You know you're a good lyricist when BOB DYLAN takes YOUR songs and records them. That would be Sylvio and Ugliest Girl in the World. Both really good songs in their own rights, especially Sylvio.

"Sylvio with silver and gold, you can't buy back the beat of a heart run cold". A-yup.

[Marty Henrickson]

Wow, talk about an inspired afternoon of writing!

[journeybear]

Yes, indeed, that was a good day. My personal best was a two-week period in which I wrote a half dozen or more of what have become some of my best songs. Three good ones in one day? A blessing.

Thanks for all the lyrics, and memories, some of which I remember. Now, how about explaining some of them?

[Perry]

Happy Birthday Bob!

I've been to a few Robert Hunter shows. I always liked hearing how he originally envisioned the songs before Garcia editing. BTW his Amagamalin Street is a great album with nary a Dead tune on it.

I'm a big believer that a large amount of the Grateful Dead's artistic success is due to the excellent lyrics of Robert Hunter. Songs like Brown Eyed Women (and many others) always paint such a strong visual in my mind.

Check out Jim Lauderdale's excellent "Patchwork River" album for some recent Hunter work.

He is also credited on Dylan's "Together through Life" though I don't really "hear"
any Hunter on that album.

[dcoventry]

Loser, Black Peter, Must Have Been the Roses, Terrapin, Stella Blue, Jackstraw, The Wheel, Mississippi Half Step, Franklin's Tower, Crazy Fingers.....whew. That's some Talent!

Want to play them?

www.rukind.com

[journeybear]

I'm a big believer that a large amount of the Grateful Dead's artistic success is due to the excellent lyrics of Robert Hunter. Songs like Brown Eyed Women (and many others) always paint such a strong visual in my mind.

Yeah - "The bottle was dusty but the liquor was clean" is one of my all-time fave lyric quotes. It has maxim status for me, right up there with "Don't judge a book by its cover;" in a way it's the story of my life.

Just wish I knew what he was talking about sometimes. And the man sure has a thing for the word "calliope!" It shows up in at least four songs.