The Grateful Dead by Jim Marshall: Photos and Stories from the Formative Years, 1966–1977

by Jim Marshall, Amelia Davis, David Gans

One of the greatest bands of all time and one of the greatest music photographers in history meet in this incredible visual archive featuring exclusive never-before-seen photos.

Jim Marshall took over ten thousand photos of the Grateful Dead throughout their career—from Woodstock to the last free concert on Haight Street and beyond. Marshall’s magnificent images chronicle the band’s trajectory as hairstyles changed, relationships came and went, and the music evolved into the sound that would become beloved by generations to come.



Marshall’s instinctive eye matched the Dead’s improvisational style, and he was welcomed into its family as he immersed himself in San Francisco’s counterculture scene throughout the 1960s and ’70s.


He documented casual domestic scenes and transcendent concerts alike, offering a nuanced and intimate portrait of the band.


The striking images in this book—a third of which have never been published—are printed in the rich, high-contrast tones that Marshall favored. They include glimpses of remarkable moments like the Newport Pop Festival, Woodstock, and the Human Be-In. 


Quotes from contemporaries, collaborators, and members of the wider Dead community bring the images alive, while longer essays contextualize this photographic archive. 




Whether you were there from the beginning or wish you had been, this is your chance to see a glorious era of music history as you’ve never seen it before, through the eyes of a visionary artist.

PHOTOGRAPHY Jim Marshall is the great rock-and-roll photographer, as his images of the Grateful Dead prove. In addition to being a legendary artist, he was a peer, colleague, and friend to the musicians and documented countless iconic musical moments throughout the 1960s and 1970s. 



NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN  From electrifying photos of the band playing live onstage to more intimate portraits of rehearsals, this collection showcases an amazing array of images. One-third of the photos have never before been published, making The Grateful Dead by Jim Marshall an exclusive treat for any Deadhead or photography fan.



THE ULTIMATE DEADHEAD Many books and documentary films have been created about the Grateful Dead, but Marshall's photographs offer an unmatched time capsule of the Dead and their era. Published to coincide with the band's 60th anniversary, this book is a perfect gift for anyone who's interested in music history or nostalgic for the counterculture of the ’60s and ’70s.

Perfect


Fans and followers of the Grateful Dead, Jerry Garcia, and Dead & Company


Jim Marshall fans


Classic rock devotees and musicians


Photographers and photography book collectors


Holiday shoppers looking for a great present for music lovers


Birthday or any special occasion gift-giving to any devoted fan of the Dead and iconic American rock bands

Genres: Nonfiction, Music

288 pages, Hardcover

Published August 5, 2025

Reviews

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first saw the Grateful Dead at the Miami Pop Festival in 1968. A year later, I saw them at Woodstock. Jim Marshall’s photographs of this iconic band are very telling. His ability to melt into the scene and be unseen with his camera makes this a fabulous book! In 1997, I met him at the New OrleansJazzFest. He was exhibiting some of the same photographs that make up this great book. Deadhead or not, this is a terrific reflection of a band that helped change American music. Highly recommended reading!

[Stephanie Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful tribute to the Grateful Dead and Jim Marshall. I think this would be a great book for Deadheads, music fans and photography fans. I loved reading about the when these photographs were taking. There is a story about how the dead didn’t go on at Altamira. There is a foward by John Mayer. There are comments from Jerry Garcia then girlfriend Mountain Girl. I really enjoyed it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Joanne Hale · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most intimate books regarding the Grateful Dead, from their early years in the 60s to the afterward with John Mayer when he performed with Dead and Co. that I have ever laid my eyes on.

My husband is a huge dead head, so we sat together all night looking in awe over Jim Marshall's photos of Jerry and Pig Pen and all those who have passed away over the years

I would give this 10 stars if I could. I want to get this for my husband in print form ASAP! A must for any Grateful Dead/The Dead/The Warlocks/Dead and Co./Jerry Garcia fan.

Thank you, Netgalley.com, for this amazing book!

[Amber Reu · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful and intimate tribute to the Grateful Dead and Jim Marshall. An amazing history told through photos (including behind the scenes) with an absolutely moving afterword by John Mayer. A must read for any music lover and especially for any Deadhead. (Thank you to Chronicle Books for the ARC. Publishes August 5, 2025).

[Caitlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The early years of Grateful Dead are my favorite ever.

These are some of the most incredible photos capturing some of the most transformative years of the Dead. Many of these I have never seen before.

The afterword by John Mayer is special as well.

The biggest Deadhead in your life will be delighted with this book. I cannot wait to purchase for myself in print.

Thank you to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for allowing me to read The Grateful Dead by Jim Marshall.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting pictures (though most were from 1966 to 1970, not much from then to 1977) and fun anecdotes from the people who were there. I would've liked a bit more backstory on some of the photos, and while the images of the contact sheets were interesting, the photographs in them were so small that you couldn't really tell the difference in the shots. There were a lot of anecdotes about Jim Marshall, the photographer, but almost no backstory on him, so everything was weirdly without context.

[M. Sarki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book with many great photographs.

[Ev · Rating 4 out of 5]

insightful and a fun read on one of the best bands of all time! Highly recommend if you dont know much about the band or just want to browse some photos of the Grateful Dead