What do you think?
Rate this book
Cornell '77: The Music, the Myth, and the Magnificence of the Grateful Dead's Concert at Barton Hall
On May 8, 1977, at Barton Hall, on the Cornell University campus, in front of 8,500 eager fans, the Grateful Dead played a show so significant that the Library of Congress inducted it into the National Recording Registry. The band had just released Terrapin Station and had not toured for twenty months. In 1977, the Grateful Dead reached a musical peak, and their East Coast spring tour featured an exceptional string of performances, including the one at Cornell.
Many Deadheads claim that the quality of the live recording of the show made by Betty Cantor-Jackson (a member of the crew) elevated its importance. Once those recordings ― referred to as "Betty Boards" ― began to circulate among Deadheads, the reputation of the Cornell '77 show grew exponentially. That aura grew with time and, in the community of Deadheads and audiophiles, the show at Barton Hall acquired legendary status.
Rooted in dozens of interviews ― including a conversation with Betty Cantor-Jackson about her recording ― and accompanied by a dazzling selection of never-before-seen concert photographs, Cornell ’77 is about far more than just a single Grateful Dead concert. It is a social and cultural history of one of America’s most enduring and iconic musical acts, their devoted fans, and a group of Cornell students whose passion for music drove them to bring the Dead to Barton Hall. Peter Conners has intimate knowledge of the fan culture surrounding the Dead, and his expertise brings the show to life. He leads readers through a song-by-song analysis of the performance, from “New Minglewood Blues” to “One More Saturday Night,” and conveys why, forty years later, Cornell ’77 is still considered a touchstone in the history of the band.
Many Deadheads claim that the quality of the live recording of the show made by Betty Cantor-Jackson (a member of the crew) elevated its importance. Once those recordings ― referred to as "Betty Boards" ― began to circulate among Deadheads, the reputation of the Cornell '77 show grew exponentially. That aura grew with time and, in the community of Deadheads and audiophiles, the show at Barton Hall acquired legendary status.
Rooted in dozens of interviews ― including a conversation with Betty Cantor-Jackson about her recording ― and accompanied by a dazzling selection of never-before-seen concert photographs, Cornell ’77 is about far more than just a single Grateful Dead concert. It is a social and cultural history of one of America’s most enduring and iconic musical acts, their devoted fans, and a group of Cornell students whose passion for music drove them to bring the Dead to Barton Hall. Peter Conners has intimate knowledge of the fan culture surrounding the Dead, and his expertise brings the show to life. He leads readers through a song-by-song analysis of the performance, from “New Minglewood Blues” to “One More Saturday Night,” and conveys why, forty years later, Cornell ’77 is still considered a touchstone in the history of the band.
- GenresMusicNonfictionHistory
Audible Audio
First published April 11, 2017
42 people are currently reading
215 people want to read
About the author
Peter Conners
13 books52 followersIn the mid-80s, Peter Conners submerged into a life of writing, music, and exploration, and he hasn’t looked back since. He has published nine books of nonfiction, fiction, and poetry, and edited dozens of volumes of poetry and prose. His nonfiction books – Cornell ‘77, Growing Up Dead, JAMerica, and White Hand Society — have garnered him a reputation as a leading chronicler of the Grateful Dead, jam band, and countercultural community.
Conners regularly gives readings and lectures at universities, conferences, bookstores, art galleries, and on panels related to music, counterculture, poetry, fiction, and editing. His books have received reviews in such places as Rolling Stone, Vice, Library Journal, Penthouse, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, The Onion, and the New York Post. The San Francisco Chronicle noted that “Conners writes like a poet and researches like a scholar,” and NPR Books likened his writing to “…the way music sounds when your surrender has no limit.”
Conners regularly gives readings and lectures at universities, conferences, bookstores, art galleries, and on panels related to music, counterculture, poetry, fiction, and editing. His books have received reviews in such places as Rolling Stone, Vice, Library Journal, Penthouse, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, The Onion, and the New York Post. The San Francisco Chronicle noted that “Conners writes like a poet and researches like a scholar,” and NPR Books likened his writing to “…the way music sounds when your surrender has no limit.”
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
September 20, 2017
Imagine if you will a "33 1/3" edition about a single concert and you'll get the picture. This exceeded expectations. It pleased -- tone, structure, bits of info, quotation, background, analysis. Would really like to know what someone thinks about this (and the show itself) who's otherwise unfamiliar with the band other than maybe a few songs and their reputation. For me, its stupid hippie dance about architecture synched with my thoughts about the Dead's music -- I started listening to them in 1986 or so with "Skeletons From the Closet" and "Dead Set" before quickly hearing/acquiring everything they recorded in the studio, learning most of the songs on guitar (still don't know how to play Slipknot, though) and then more importantly high-speed dubbing ~100 live bootleg cassettes (generally Maxell IIs), including of course the show at Barton Hall, which occurred only 11 years before my first show at the Spectrum in Philadelphia on 9/9/88 (it would've been 9/8/88 but a friend freaked out as soon as we got into the venue and left, so another friend and I decided to chase after him instead of letting him deal alone). Anyway, reading it and listening on archive.org to a bunch of May '77 shows felt so comfortable, like a security blanket as Trump and Korea threatened nuclear war -- and everything else. At B&N they have a table these days called Escapist Fiction, essentially beach reads by and for women with girlie covers and lord knows what sort of content -- it seems to me like reading about the Dead recently and maybe even listening to them in a way have always been a sort of Escapist Fiction, an alt-reality, the ultimate goal of which is to reach a state of Terrapin. Will read a few of the available Dead bios before returning to serious European peri-WWII/Holocaust literature when the school year starts.
July 2, 2024
There is absolutely nothing like a Grateful Dead show.
April 22, 2017
How do you write a book about one rock concert, even one that is widely acknowledged as the best one ever done by the Grateful Dead? Three hours, one Sunday night in May, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York. Peter Conners takes this concert and makes it into a story of the Grateful Dead world at the time and does a masterful job.
I'm admittedly a Deadhead, a fan of the Grateful Dead for a number of years, so I was primed for this book when it was released. In addition to his description of the environment surrounding this event, Peter takes the concert song by song, describing how it was performed, the audience response, and the depth of the event as it happened. He includes material from interviews with many who attended the concert and others who were part of the Grateful Dead experience at the time.
What is not included? Any responses from the members of the Grateful Dead themselves. Why? They don't remember that concert as anything more significant than any other concert they did at the time. They did their masterful work with the audience responding in kind, and when the concert was over, it was over. The band had another concert to do in Buffalo the following night; this one ended and their thoughts were looking ahead to the next event.
To anyone who is a fan of the Grateful Dead, or just appreciative of work describing the work done by concert artists in all genres, this is a good read, telling a story about artists who work for and to the audience of their work.
I'm admittedly a Deadhead, a fan of the Grateful Dead for a number of years, so I was primed for this book when it was released. In addition to his description of the environment surrounding this event, Peter takes the concert song by song, describing how it was performed, the audience response, and the depth of the event as it happened. He includes material from interviews with many who attended the concert and others who were part of the Grateful Dead experience at the time.
What is not included? Any responses from the members of the Grateful Dead themselves. Why? They don't remember that concert as anything more significant than any other concert they did at the time. They did their masterful work with the audience responding in kind, and when the concert was over, it was over. The band had another concert to do in Buffalo the following night; this one ended and their thoughts were looking ahead to the next event.
To anyone who is a fan of the Grateful Dead, or just appreciative of work describing the work done by concert artists in all genres, this is a good read, telling a story about artists who work for and to the audience of their work.
April 11, 2024
A lot of padding out to a more attractive page count means that Ithaca is over and covered halfway through. But, as there are discussions regarding Garcia’s interstitial use of a Cb5 to pure E, as well as deep consideration of the role of the Mu-Tron III being engaged and where, I’m willing to overlook it. For the Dead-adjacent, this would have to be some deep dark star of boring shit.
No, not Suede’s variant coming from India, either; that baby will rise. Stay together, lovelies.
No, not Suede’s variant coming from India, either; that baby will rise. Stay together, lovelies.
March 21, 2023
The Grateful Dead’s show on May 8, 1977 at Barton Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca is considered by some to be the greatest Dead show ever and over the years has reached a status of mythical proportions. In fact it was a show of such significance that it was inducted into the Library of Congress’ national recording register. There is an argument though that the reason for its lofty status is down to the superb recording of it made by Betty Cantor-Jackson who’s recordings became known amongst Deadheads as ‘Betty Boards’. And now to add to its mythical status we have a whole book dedicated to that one concert. Peter Conners has taken that concert and closely examined the myth and more importantly the music of that legendary cold and snowy night.
With ‘Cornell ‘77, The Music, The Myth, The Magnificence of the Grateful Dead’s Concert at Barton Hall’ Conners not only examines the show song by song he includes interviews with audience members, tapers, roadies and the concert organisers. He examines the history behind the songs and the build up to the concert, looking at how the concert ever happened considering the disaster of a Deep Purple concert which temporarily ended concerts at the venue. It is an extensively researched book, a labour of love.
Deadheads are obsessive, more so than any other bands fans. ‘Why spend hours listening to different performances of the same song in order to better appreciate the subtle differences between them? Why listen to a forty-two-minute version of any song at all? It's an obsession but it's pleasin'! That's why.’ No two shows were ever the same. Unlike other bands you can’t look at the set list from the previous dates on a tour and expect roughly the same songs. The Grateful Dead where a totally unique band. And as well as being hailed as probably the greatest Grateful Dead concert ever individual songs from the show also rate highly.
‘In a poll conducted by the compilers of Deadbase, the “Scarlet Begonias” from Cornell ’77 was named by participants as their all-time favorite version of the song. Their favorite version of “Fire on the Mountain”? Also Cornell ’77. Dick Latvala, Dead archivist from 1985 to 1999, made this notebook entry about Cornell ’77: “‘Morning Dew’ was possibly the best version yet, with a burning finish.”’
The Dead however are a ‘Marmite’ band, there are those who simply don’t get it and then there’s the obsessives. Trouble is once you do get it you are sucked in and you can get totally lost in the whole thing. They are addictive. ‘While Jerry Garcia may not have had a voice that crooners would envy, the pathos in his vocals was nonpareil, and he often shone brightest when the storytelling stakes were highest.’
With the interviews with fans and tapers Conners not only gives us an insight in the psyche of a Deadhead he also puts us firmly on the auditorium that night, when the doors opened and the fans rush in, I felt like I was with them, ‘If you were a Deadhead fortunate enough to be inside Barton Hall when the concert started on May 8, 1977, and not one of the unlucky few stranded in the swirling snow outside, you may have found yourself speculating what song the band was going to play next.’ There are some interesting anecdotes here too, like the decision to let non ticket holders in and the unique way they had to gain admittance.
With Cornell ‘77 Conners has captured a unique moment in musical history and placed it under a microscope, in doing so he had brought it glorious to life. It is a fabulous account and recommended reading for both full blown Deadheads and the Dead curious. But is it the greatest Dead show ever, I agree with Connors that is an impossible question to answer. Just to balance things out though he includes quotes from fans who disagree with the hype, and even those who feel it never happened at all and was a drug induced experiment with songs compiled from other shows!
Whatever your opinion it is a fine concert based on the Rhino records issue of it which I love and Peter Conners has written a pretty good account of it.
With ‘Cornell ‘77, The Music, The Myth, The Magnificence of the Grateful Dead’s Concert at Barton Hall’ Conners not only examines the show song by song he includes interviews with audience members, tapers, roadies and the concert organisers. He examines the history behind the songs and the build up to the concert, looking at how the concert ever happened considering the disaster of a Deep Purple concert which temporarily ended concerts at the venue. It is an extensively researched book, a labour of love.
Deadheads are obsessive, more so than any other bands fans. ‘Why spend hours listening to different performances of the same song in order to better appreciate the subtle differences between them? Why listen to a forty-two-minute version of any song at all? It's an obsession but it's pleasin'! That's why.’ No two shows were ever the same. Unlike other bands you can’t look at the set list from the previous dates on a tour and expect roughly the same songs. The Grateful Dead where a totally unique band. And as well as being hailed as probably the greatest Grateful Dead concert ever individual songs from the show also rate highly.
‘In a poll conducted by the compilers of Deadbase, the “Scarlet Begonias” from Cornell ’77 was named by participants as their all-time favorite version of the song. Their favorite version of “Fire on the Mountain”? Also Cornell ’77. Dick Latvala, Dead archivist from 1985 to 1999, made this notebook entry about Cornell ’77: “‘Morning Dew’ was possibly the best version yet, with a burning finish.”’
The Dead however are a ‘Marmite’ band, there are those who simply don’t get it and then there’s the obsessives. Trouble is once you do get it you are sucked in and you can get totally lost in the whole thing. They are addictive. ‘While Jerry Garcia may not have had a voice that crooners would envy, the pathos in his vocals was nonpareil, and he often shone brightest when the storytelling stakes were highest.’
With the interviews with fans and tapers Conners not only gives us an insight in the psyche of a Deadhead he also puts us firmly on the auditorium that night, when the doors opened and the fans rush in, I felt like I was with them, ‘If you were a Deadhead fortunate enough to be inside Barton Hall when the concert started on May 8, 1977, and not one of the unlucky few stranded in the swirling snow outside, you may have found yourself speculating what song the band was going to play next.’ There are some interesting anecdotes here too, like the decision to let non ticket holders in and the unique way they had to gain admittance.
With Cornell ‘77 Conners has captured a unique moment in musical history and placed it under a microscope, in doing so he had brought it glorious to life. It is a fabulous account and recommended reading for both full blown Deadheads and the Dead curious. But is it the greatest Dead show ever, I agree with Connors that is an impossible question to answer. Just to balance things out though he includes quotes from fans who disagree with the hype, and even those who feel it never happened at all and was a drug induced experiment with songs compiled from other shows!
Whatever your opinion it is a fine concert based on the Rhino records issue of it which I love and Peter Conners has written a pretty good account of it.
August 19, 2019
I loved this book. Deeply researched it has the effect of putting you into the hallowed Hall before during and after this concert. Also, many attempts to capture with words what makes this music special, and what makes this concert, this recording, and our obtaining of these recordings near miraculous. I particularly enjoyed how the details didn’t get in the way of the authors fan boy exuberance.
December 11, 2016
Read an advance copy. It was fast and fun, especially if you listen to the show while you're reading it. This quote cracked me up: "“Fire on the Mountain” is a slinky, sexy song. It is the musical equivalent of indulging in one last hot, grinding fuck before Armageddon descends and the world melts into flames; all the passion, abandon, and remorse for things not done channeled through the sacral chakra while desperate flames of desire lick the sky. It’s also notable for its cowbell."
May 8, 2018
I by no means consider myself a "DeadHead," but I absolutely loved the history in this book. Wow what an amazing time. Well written, seemed factual to me. I highly recommend this book!
January 6, 2019
Kind of a mess, with a pretty poor analysis of the performance itself at the heart of it, but contains great interviews and social history that contextualize the legendary Dead show at Cornell University in May of 1977.
July 7, 2017
Book received from NetGalley.
The biography of what many Deadheads consider the best Grateful Dead concert ever, though to the band it was just another concert. The book discusses everything from the venue, to the fans, to the weather that all likely had contributing factors to the music that night. I admit I'm a Deadhead, and I've heard the concert and while I enjoy listening to it, I'm not completely sure it the "best" of any of their shows. After reading the book and seeing the reminisces of those who were there that night, I can understand a bit better why so many feel the way they do about the show. If you're a fan of The Dead, I highly suggest reading this book.
The biography of what many Deadheads consider the best Grateful Dead concert ever, though to the band it was just another concert. The book discusses everything from the venue, to the fans, to the weather that all likely had contributing factors to the music that night. I admit I'm a Deadhead, and I've heard the concert and while I enjoy listening to it, I'm not completely sure it the "best" of any of their shows. After reading the book and seeing the reminisces of those who were there that night, I can understand a bit better why so many feel the way they do about the show. If you're a fan of The Dead, I highly suggest reading this book.
January 20, 2019
I wanted to like this more than I did, I really did, but its simply not that well written. It lacks structure, insight and reveals almost no new information. Its a jumble of facts and stories without coherence: it is less than the sum of its parts. Furthermore, it leaves too many blanks into the characters and culture of the Dead at the time and the years that followed. For example, the book does not explain how Betty Cantor-Jackson (who, I think, is the hero in this book) went from an integral part of the Dead's crew to being penniless a few years later. Nor does it explain in sufficient detail why it took so long for the recording to be released.
I agree with the author that there is no best Grateful Dead show, anymore than there is a best car, best food, best colour or best book. When a person says that this is the best Grateful Dead show, that person is just saying "This is my favourite Grateful Dead show," which is a much less controversial statement. That being said, many Deadheads count this as their favourite show, so it bears some consideration.
I think Cornell '77 could have been a great jumping off point for brilliant music criticism, but this book isn't that.
I agree with the author that there is no best Grateful Dead show, anymore than there is a best car, best food, best colour or best book. When a person says that this is the best Grateful Dead show, that person is just saying "This is my favourite Grateful Dead show," which is a much less controversial statement. That being said, many Deadheads count this as their favourite show, so it bears some consideration.
I think Cornell '77 could have been a great jumping off point for brilliant music criticism, but this book isn't that.
April 26, 2017
I was at this show, it was 5th Dead show I saw, and every show since I compare to that show, what was it ? what made it so great? I am not sure, maybe the venue, the weather, the crowd, or just the band was so fuckin' on that night.
I had to beg my mother to let me go, I am from Rochester NY and the show was on a Sunday and I was a Jr in High School and had to be at school on Monday. In the end of course she let me go, but that was just the beginning that summer I followed the Dead to every show until the first day of my senior year, then I left Rochester forever 2 years later traveling the world and getting a PHD in the meantime.
I never returned to Rochester and my mother blamed it all on that one Dead show in May of 1977, and Peter Conners has done what very few could, recount that show. It's a great book, even if your not a Dead fan. The 70's was an odd time in America and the Dead got me thru it. Well worth the read!!!
I had to beg my mother to let me go, I am from Rochester NY and the show was on a Sunday and I was a Jr in High School and had to be at school on Monday. In the end of course she let me go, but that was just the beginning that summer I followed the Dead to every show until the first day of my senior year, then I left Rochester forever 2 years later traveling the world and getting a PHD in the meantime.
I never returned to Rochester and my mother blamed it all on that one Dead show in May of 1977, and Peter Conners has done what very few could, recount that show. It's a great book, even if your not a Dead fan. The 70's was an odd time in America and the Dead got me thru it. Well worth the read!!!
September 15, 2025
There were things that were great about this book. The buildup to the concert was cool and the song by song breakdown of the show was interesting, too. I learned a lot in the section on the Betty Boards, including how these priceless tapes were almost lost forever to the scrap heap.
But there were some just plain weird chapters about the show and its existence within the time and space continuum (did it actually happen?). Could’ve done without that, plus the typos and mistakes: “legalize” instead of “legalese”, at least a couple of misquoted lyrics and a wrong year on when the Dead started playing “Not Fade Away.”
If I could, I’d give the book 3.5 stars. But it’s definitely not a 4, so it’s a 3. It’s pretty good, but overall not great.
But there were some just plain weird chapters about the show and its existence within the time and space continuum (did it actually happen?). Could’ve done without that, plus the typos and mistakes: “legalize” instead of “legalese”, at least a couple of misquoted lyrics and a wrong year on when the Dead started playing “Not Fade Away.”
If I could, I’d give the book 3.5 stars. But it’s definitely not a 4, so it’s a 3. It’s pretty good, but overall not great.
May 4, 2017
How could I possibly give this anything less than 5 stars? Look, if you are someone who seems the title & thinks "cool", then you should read this book. It won't change your life, but it's fun. If you just don't see the point, then really it's not for you.
Now I want someone to start a series a la the 33 1/3 series, but each book on a different Dead show. Publishers get this going!
http://fedpeaches.blogspot.com/2017/0...
Now I want someone to start a series a la the 33 1/3 series, but each book on a different Dead show. Publishers get this going!
http://fedpeaches.blogspot.com/2017/0...
September 9, 2020
This is a pleasant and quick read that fleshes out the place of Spring 1977 in the Dead mythology better than, e.g., Long Strange Trip. The vignettes about the show and the promoters were fun, as was the aside about Betty Boards and the recent spate of top quality official live releases. Unfortunately Conners has nothing new or interesting to say about the band, their music, or the music that the band actually played at this, their most famous show.
July 8, 2017
This came with our May 77 box set. An in depth look at the background of one of their most revered concerts. Definitely for afficiandos.
Favorite reply from Bob Weir to a question from Tom Snyder on how they stay current. "We've never been current".
Favorite reply from Bob Weir to a question from Tom Snyder on how they stay current. "We've never been current".
January 5, 2024
Cornell 77 is a transcendent concert. The book is prosaic.
October 21, 2018
“Cornell ‘77’ tells the story of a single performance by the rambling shambling collective that is the Grateful Dead. To have a single book devoted to one concert seems a bit much and it surely is unless you’re tuned into the GD frequency but for those familiar with the band and the players it makes for an interesting (if long) read, not unlike an extended GD jam.
The story behind the tape of the Dead’s performance at Barton Hall at Cornell in May of 1977 alone makes for interesting reading. Evidently the master tape of this concert like many others was recorded by Betty Cantor-Jackson the sole female crew member who elected to capture her own mix for personal use. Following the untimely death of her husband and fellow crew member Rex Jackson and subsequent marriage/divorce from ill-fated GD band member Brent Mydland she fell out of the good graces with the GD and departed. Following hard times her belongings including said tapes of numerous concerts were sitting in a storage unit, later sold at auction to the highest bidder in the 80’s. The lone bidder purchased them only because of the GD labels on the trunks the tapes resided in with no interest in the contents. One thing lead to another and the tapes found their way into the hands of a fellow ‘taper’ who took them into a professional studio, was able to clean them up and they were ultimately released after a protracted ownership battle between Betty, the GD and the tape purchaser. Naturally, the GD won the ownership battle despite having little to no interest in the product previously. The tapes were ultimately made available via Rhino Records and the argument goes on whether this concert at Barton Hall is in fact the best performance by the Dead versus concerts during the same period in New Haven, Buffalo and Boston. Ironically the phenomena of taping their performances at concerts by their dedicated fan base was only obliquely sanctioned by the band when they learned that it was so out of control there was no way to stop it.
Garcia, and to an extent Weir come off as inscrutable as ever, preferring to let their music/lyrics speak for them although there are some good stories shared that I haven’t seen elsewhere. The origin of the song “Morning Dew”, written by Canadian Bonnie Dobson in the early 60's (reflecting the horror’s of nuclear war) which under Garcia’s hands at the Cornell show became a classic is revealed.
Conner's also relates how with their increasing popularity the band decided that they needed a PR person to interface with the press – Garcia knew of Dennis McNally, who wrote his PH.D about Kerouac and the Beat Generation might have the right mien to deal with the press. His “job interview” consisted of a conversation with Garcia telling him “we don’t suck up to the press” to which McNally said, OK, “what else”? Garcia passed him a joint and said “smoke this” and that was the end of it followed by a 30 year career as the band’s official spokesman.
Other stories of interest include insights into the origin of the infamous Wall of Sound speaker system created by none other than Owlsey himself along with some interesting observations about his personality traits that made him such a stickler for high quality LSD but short on humanity. If none of this makes any sense and you wonder "WTF is he talking about???" then don't waste your time.
The story behind the tape of the Dead’s performance at Barton Hall at Cornell in May of 1977 alone makes for interesting reading. Evidently the master tape of this concert like many others was recorded by Betty Cantor-Jackson the sole female crew member who elected to capture her own mix for personal use. Following the untimely death of her husband and fellow crew member Rex Jackson and subsequent marriage/divorce from ill-fated GD band member Brent Mydland she fell out of the good graces with the GD and departed. Following hard times her belongings including said tapes of numerous concerts were sitting in a storage unit, later sold at auction to the highest bidder in the 80’s. The lone bidder purchased them only because of the GD labels on the trunks the tapes resided in with no interest in the contents. One thing lead to another and the tapes found their way into the hands of a fellow ‘taper’ who took them into a professional studio, was able to clean them up and they were ultimately released after a protracted ownership battle between Betty, the GD and the tape purchaser. Naturally, the GD won the ownership battle despite having little to no interest in the product previously. The tapes were ultimately made available via Rhino Records and the argument goes on whether this concert at Barton Hall is in fact the best performance by the Dead versus concerts during the same period in New Haven, Buffalo and Boston. Ironically the phenomena of taping their performances at concerts by their dedicated fan base was only obliquely sanctioned by the band when they learned that it was so out of control there was no way to stop it.
Garcia, and to an extent Weir come off as inscrutable as ever, preferring to let their music/lyrics speak for them although there are some good stories shared that I haven’t seen elsewhere. The origin of the song “Morning Dew”, written by Canadian Bonnie Dobson in the early 60's (reflecting the horror’s of nuclear war) which under Garcia’s hands at the Cornell show became a classic is revealed.
Conner's also relates how with their increasing popularity the band decided that they needed a PR person to interface with the press – Garcia knew of Dennis McNally, who wrote his PH.D about Kerouac and the Beat Generation might have the right mien to deal with the press. His “job interview” consisted of a conversation with Garcia telling him “we don’t suck up to the press” to which McNally said, OK, “what else”? Garcia passed him a joint and said “smoke this” and that was the end of it followed by a 30 year career as the band’s official spokesman.
Other stories of interest include insights into the origin of the infamous Wall of Sound speaker system created by none other than Owlsey himself along with some interesting observations about his personality traits that made him such a stickler for high quality LSD but short on humanity. If none of this makes any sense and you wonder "WTF is he talking about???" then don't waste your time.
July 7, 2017
At first thought was thinking this might be a quicky knockoff but was very pleasantly surprised. Famous show in question was held at Barton Hall on the campus of Cornell University on May 8, 1977. Show was 40 years ago so was not expecting a cavalcade of detailed recollections on the show itself.
Instead the author covered some areas that many probably were not aware of: role played by the student-staffed Cornell Concert Commission in bringin the Dead to campus; the initial crush to enter the hall compared to the Who Cincinnati tragedy 2 years later; high fidelity recording made by Betty Cantor Jackson (famous for the Betty boards) as one of the reasons the Cornell show legend has grown over the years (bootleggers loved the quality); the person who is Betty Cantor Jackson; and the context, Dead were playing with lots of energy after returning in '76 from a 2 year layoff from touring. Author set it real; there is no one greatest show in the Grateful Dead universe.
On the show itself there are moments: Scarfire, They Love Each Other and Morning Dew stood out for me. I'm a Deadhead; Peter Conners is a Deadhead. Upon typing the last few words, I am going to play (again) the famous Cornell 1977 show. Might be better ones out there but in about 26 seconds this show will be the only one. <>
Instead the author covered some areas that many probably were not aware of: role played by the student-staffed Cornell Concert Commission in bringin the Dead to campus; the initial crush to enter the hall compared to the Who Cincinnati tragedy 2 years later; high fidelity recording made by Betty Cantor Jackson (famous for the Betty boards) as one of the reasons the Cornell show legend has grown over the years (bootleggers loved the quality); the person who is Betty Cantor Jackson; and the context, Dead were playing with lots of energy after returning in '76 from a 2 year layoff from touring. Author set it real; there is no one greatest show in the Grateful Dead universe.
On the show itself there are moments: Scarfire, They Love Each Other and Morning Dew stood out for me. I'm a Deadhead; Peter Conners is a Deadhead. Upon typing the last few words, I am going to play (again) the famous Cornell 1977 show. Might be better ones out there but in about 26 seconds this show will be the only one. <>
May 18, 2017
It's hard to imagine that one could write an entire book about a single concert. In this case, however, that concert, at Cornell University on 5/8/77, is considered my many to be one of the best Grateful Dead concerts of all time. Author Peter Conners succeeds at least in part because he spends the greater part of the book putting that concert in context with the Grateful Dead's history, the string of concerts that Spring that collectively are among the best in the band's ouvre, the culture of taping that had a direct influence over the enduring popularity of the 5/8/77 show (I, like many others, obtained an excellent cassette of the concert in the mid-1980s), as well as the particulars of this particular show. He interviews a number of fans and Dead personnel who attended the show, and devotes a section to Betty Cantor-Jackson and the history of her "Betty Boards" --among the best soundboard recordings of the band. This book was released on the 40th anniversary of the show and--in a great coup for Cornell University Press--was included in the 15,000 "limited edition" box set of the four shows from 5/5, 5/7, 5/8, and 5/9/77.
May 20, 2017
This book is almost immune to review... if you like the Grateful Dead, you will enjoy it and may even learn a few new things; if you don't, it's unlikely that a deep dive into a single one of their shows, one that was musically excellent but had no greater historical or cultural context like Monterey or Woodstock or Altamont, is going to convince you otherwise. It is just one more little sliver of licorice for the faithful.
I will say it's pretty cool to get this as part of the new Get Shown the Light box set. It's by far the most interesting written content to any musical offering I've ever purchased. By that standard, it's five stars plus.
I will say it's pretty cool to get this as part of the new Get Shown the Light box set. It's by far the most interesting written content to any musical offering I've ever purchased. By that standard, it's five stars plus.
January 3, 2018
I've always loved Cornell, and I've got a special fondness for 1977 since it's the year I was born. So the Cornell '77 Dead show was one of the first "bootlegs" I ever had. (Downloaded from Napster, if you can believe it)
This book is mostly a history of Dead bootlegs and recordings, as well as the history of the Betty Boards and who ultimately owned them. Still, Conners does spend a good amount of time talking about the East Coast swing that included the Cornell show, and talking through each song in the concert. This was an enjoyable read and is probably best for a moderately intense Deadhead who isn't as familiar with all the history.
This book is mostly a history of Dead bootlegs and recordings, as well as the history of the Betty Boards and who ultimately owned them. Still, Conners does spend a good amount of time talking about the East Coast swing that included the Cornell show, and talking through each song in the concert. This was an enjoyable read and is probably best for a moderately intense Deadhead who isn't as familiar with all the history.
July 24, 2024
Growing up in the 80's and being introduced to the popular Grateful Dead songs (Truckin, Casey Jones, Touch of Grey, etc), I always had a curiosity for the Grateful Dead and their music. As I have gotten older I have found myself immersed in the world of the Dead. Cornell 77 has attained legendary status as a wonderful live concert and upon the first listen a person can see what attracts so many to the Grateful Dead and their live shows. This book brings you right to the concert, front and center. As close as I will ever be to Cornell 77 or any Dead show from this era. Such a good, easy read...really got be ready to see Dead and Co and the Sphere!
July 19, 2017
A fun and pretty quick read for Deadheads and more than casual fans of the Dead (I likely fall into the latter description). It also helps to know a little about Cornell (the actual campus - not just the show!), as the descriptions were brought to life more. The book is more than just the show - like a good Dead jam, it meanders and covers covers tangential topics before finding its way back to the main part. I really enjoyed the detailed descriptions of the music itself, and found myself putting the book down and listening to the individual songs in the famed show.
March 22, 2020
Here are the notes I randomly took while reading;
"In another times forgotten space", things had been different earlier. Felt like I missed the greatest. But was still having a blast of course
Most listened to dead show ever. ^
"It was all just part of the trip"
"Chicago base group Umphrey's McGee", wasn't expecting that. I'm screaming. My babies.
I really hate how in the audiobook he mispronounced Relix every. single. time. Then starts talking about autistic people in the dead community and how those were the tapers. Um I think we could have done without that.
"In another times forgotten space", things had been different earlier. Felt like I missed the greatest. But was still having a blast of course
Most listened to dead show ever. ^
"It was all just part of the trip"
"Chicago base group Umphrey's McGee", wasn't expecting that. I'm screaming. My babies.
I really hate how in the audiobook he mispronounced Relix every. single. time. Then starts talking about autistic people in the dead community and how those were the tapers. Um I think we could have done without that.
February 22, 2021
I was doubtful that someone could make a book about a single concert but I was pleasantly surprised. It balanced fandom and objective perspective as to whether or not this was the greatest show in the Dead’s career. Overall, well researched and well written, covering not only the legend of the concert but also logistics of setting it up through the eyes of people who worked the show, people who attended the show, and those who taped the show— while also placing it in historical context around the odyssey that was the Grateful Dead
May 17, 2023
A great read for hard core Deadheads, a good read for casual fans or any fan of the history of American rock. The book assumes the reader is familiar with the band's history and their extensive catalog. So there isn't much context given but as casual Grateful Dead fan, I found myself referring to their Wikipedia page while reading. But the author gives first hand accounts of those that attended this show and gives a strong account of the halcyon days of 70s rock and roll that any music fan can appreciate.
October 25, 2023
The first 2/3 of Connor’s book deals with a brief history of The Dead, Cornell’s music scene, and the concert itself. After writing a song-by-song recount of the concert, the last 1/3 felt like he wasn’t quite sure how to end the book. (Out reach his projected word count)
This is definitely a book written by a deadhead for deadheads. There were times throughout the book when his effusive prose praising the Dead and their music was more than a bit much, but if you’re on the bus, you might not mind so much.
I recommend reading this while listening to the concert, available at Archive.org.
This is definitely a book written by a deadhead for deadheads. There were times throughout the book when his effusive prose praising the Dead and their music was more than a bit much, but if you’re on the bus, you might not mind so much.
I recommend reading this while listening to the concert, available at Archive.org.
December 7, 2017
I've read a lot of books about the Dead, but this is the first one that centers around only one specific show. It's a good 'un, to be certain, worthy of decades of hype, but a whole book? Conners pulls it off though, deep diving into the show itself, it's context within the larger Dead universe, and even into the lives of some of the Cornell students involved in setting up the show. It's a little light but, heck, with such a limited scope I'm impressed that it was as engaging as it was.
February 23, 2022
Although I wouldn’t slot this into Required Reading as far as books about the band go, this is a great read set in the context of an epic show of historical significance in the Dead’s archive. Love it or hate it, 5/8/77 holds it’s place in the cultural lexicon of the Grateful Dead and this book looks at that year, and the subculture in general, from the vantage point of one of their most revered tour dates.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews