Keith Godchaux
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| Keith Godchaux | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Keith Richard Godchaux |
| Born | July 19, 1948 Seattle, Washington, United States |
| Origin | San Francisco, California, United States |
| Died | July 23, 1980 (aged 32) Marin County, California, United States |
| Genre(s) | Rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Keyboard instruments |
| Years active | 1972–1980 |
| Associated acts | Grateful Dead |
Keith Richard Godchaux (July 19, 1948 – 23 July 1980) was a musician best known for his tenure in the rock group the Grateful Dead.
[edit] Biography
Keith Godchaux was born in Seattle, Washington and grew up in Concord, California. He met and married Donna Jean Godchaux in 1970; their son Zion, of the band BoomBox, was born in 1974.
The couple introduced themselves at a Jerry Garcia concert in October 1971. At the time, Keith Godchaux had been appearing with Dave Mason (formerly of Traffic). He was also known to Betty Cantor-Jackson, a Grateful Dead sound engineer. He joined the band shortly afterwards, remaining a member until February 1979.
In 1972 and for much of his career, Godchaux played acoustic piano; however, he played the Fender Rhodes frequently in 1973 and 1974. He had an ability to home in on and provide perfectly timed Fender Rhodes baritone solos that echoed, but also enhanced, Jerry's solos in 1974. Godchaux was replaced by Brent Mydland in 1979.
Godchaux played provocative, jazz-influenced piano during his tenure with the Dead, spurring some of their most adventurous group improvisations; however, he later developed a penchant for following Garcia's guitar lines note for note, much to the annoyance of the others. During their period in the Grateful Dead, the couple also issued the mostly self-written Keith and Donna album in 1975 with Jerry Garcia as a member of their band. The album was recorded at their home in Stinson Beach, where they lived in the 1970s.[1] In turn, they performed as part of the Jerry Garcia Band. Godchaux also appeared with the New Riders of the Purple Sage. Subsequently, he co-wrote songs with Lowell George (of Little Feat) and Robert Hunter.
After Keith Godchaux's time with the Grateful Dead, he and Donna formed The Heart of Gold Band.
Godchaux died in an automobile accident in Marin County, California, in 1980.
