New Riders of the Purple Sage

Pioneering country rock band New Riders of the Purple Sage formed in San Francisco, California in 1969. Emerging from the local psychedelic scene, the group was founded by The Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia and John ‘Marmaduke’ Dawson, both of whom wanted to explore country music and mix it with elements of rock and folk music. The group’s original lineup featured Garcia on pedal steel guitar and Dawson on vocals and guitar plus lead guitarist David Nelson, and two other Grateful Dead members making up the rhythm section: Mickey Hart (drums) and Phil Lesh (bass). By the time New Riders of the Purple Sage released their 1971 self-titled debut album, Hart and Lesh were gone and were replaced by Dave Torbert (bass) and Spencer Dryden (drums). Eventually, Jerry Garcia had to step away in 1971 to focus on The Grateful Dead and was replaced on pedal steel by Buddy Cage. The band’s lineup would continue to change over the years with only John Dawson and David Nelson remaining through 1982 before Nelson left and Dawson remained the sole founding member. In 1997, the group split up and John Dawson retired from the music business. In 2005, David Nelson revived New Riders of the Purple Sage and continues to perform live and release albums. The group’s catalog – including Powerglide (1972), Gypsy Cowboy (1972), the gold-certified The Adventures of Panama Red (1973), Brujo (1974), Who Are Those Guys? (1977), Before Time Began (1986), and many others – has inspired many musicians over the years with their unique sound which has earned them the nickname ‘America’s premiere psychedelic cowboy band.’

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