Ronald Charles McKernan (September 8, 1945 – March 8, 1973), known as "Pigpen", was an American singer and musician. [22], After Constanten's departure in January 1970 over musical and lifestyle differences, McKernan nominally resumed keyboard duties. After singing blues at local jam sessions, as Oswego University reports, Pigpen became a founding member of Garcia's jam bands, joining in 1961 in the predecessor groups that would lead to the Grateful Dead. Voice Type: Baritone Vocal Range: E♭2-E5 Associated Acts: Grateful Dead (1965-1972) Ron McKernan better known as his nickname "Pigpen" was the cofounder, organist and occasional percusionst from american band Grateful Dead since the beginning until his death at just 27 years old (It's considerate he belongs to "The 27 Club" too, altough not so famous as other musicians from that age … Cause of death: alcohol. On the bootleg, McKernan played acoustic guitar and piano, instruments he seldom used with the Dead. [1] He came from Irish ancestry, and his father, Phil McKernan, was an R&B and blues disc jockey, who had been one of the first white DJs on KDIA, a black radio station. McKernan's landlady found his body at his home in … Would have been a great outlet for the more edgy blues the boys got back into in the 80s. The band’s members also included Jerry Garcia, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh, and Bob Weir. He was in bad shape in the months leading up to his death, as Dead.net reports; health issues forced a leave of absence from the band. Discover the real story, facts, and details of Ron Pigpen McKernan. By the time he plays his last concert (June 17, 1972), he can only get through the first set. As years went on, The Dead adopted a different musical tone after Pigpen's death, something that leaned closer to jazz. Ron “Pigpen” McKernan. [4] During the band's first year when they played straightforward blues, McKernan performed the majority of lead vocals, attracting an early audience that came specifically to see him sing and play harmonica. [35] "Turn On Your Love Light" was revived in 1981, with Weir singing lead. [4] As a youth, he taught himself blues piano, guitar and harmonica[5] and developed a biker culture image. [55] Though his contributions to the band had slowly diminished over the years, the other members were devastated at his death. [17], After McKernan's death, a number of recordings were found in his apartment, which have appeared as the bootleg recording The Apartment Tapes. A lifetime of alcoholism combined with hepatitis he contracted during the band's 1972 European tour severely damaged Pigpen's health. After he was hospitalized in August 1971, doctors requested that he stop touring indefinitely. Definition.org quotes Garcia at McKernan's funeral: "After Pigpen's death we all knew this was the end of the original Grateful Dead. Hart later said "Pigpen was the musician in the Grateful Dead. Band: The Doors. At the height of the Grateful Dead 's breakout success in the early 1970s, Ron "Pigpen" McKernan served as a driving force behind the jam band's legendary acclaim. While he was a very heavy drinker (the rest of the group preferred getting high, per Ultimate Classic Rock), McKernan had given up alcohol by 1972 as his health declined. [40], McKernan's alcohol abuse had begun to affect his health by his mid twenties. One joined the “27 Club” and the other left the drugs behind when he put his faith in Christ. Ron ‘Pigpen’ McKernan Ron McKernan, better known as Pigpen, was born in 1945 in California. The vocalist and keyboardist proved responsible for the band's blues-based tone, even taking over singing duties on tunes such as "Turn on Your Lovelight," "Alligator," "Big Boss Man," and "Mr. He plays the harmonica, Hammond organ, singer, percussion and sometimes he plays the guitar. His love for gospel and blues led him to be one of the founding members of the Grateful Dead. He was initially nicknamed "Blue Ron" before settling on "Pigpen". He contributed instrumentation to only two tracks (Hammond organ on "Black Peter" and harmonica on "Easy Wind", the latter as lead vocalist) on Workingman's Dead (1970), the band's breakthrough studio release. [15][46] Ironically, McKernan was arrested and fined after the cannabis bust on November 9, 1967, at 710 Ashbury Street, the Dead's communal home, even though he did not use the drug. Born on September 8, 1945 in San Bruno, California as Ronald Charles McKernan, the musician grew up listening to R&B and blues courtesy of his DJ father, Phil McKernan. Explore Ron Pigpen McKernan's biography, personal life, family and cause of death. Pigpen's love of the blues was equaled only by his love of alcohol, a demon he couldn't shake. Co-founding member of the Grateful Dead Ron “Pigpen” McKernan sadly passed away on this date in 1973 at the young age of 27. Today would have been Ron “Pigpen” McKernan’s 74th birthday had the founding Grateful Dead member not died in 1973 at the age of 27 due to complications from Crohn’s disease. ", The Tragic Death Of Ron 'Pigpen' McKernan. Pigpen's love of the blues was equaled only by his love of alcohol, a demon he couldn't shake. [58][59] Weir began singing "Good Lovin'" with the Dead in 1973, and the group recorded the song on 1978's Shakedown Street. Grateful Dead keyboard player Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, a founding member of the band, dies at age 27. He was a founding member of the San Francisco band the Grateful Dead and played in the group from 1965 to 1972. He also revived the 1960s standard "Big Boy Pete", originally sung by McKernan, as a one-off in 1985. [vimeo 122619353 w-1000 h=680] In honor of the founder of The Dead, Ron “Pigpen” McKernan, and my all-time favorite song by the man himself, Two Souls in Communion (or more relatively referred to as The Stranger), I merged a tribute video created by Marmalade Sky with my favorite recording of the song from their Amsterdam gig during their European tour of ’72. [16], In October 1968, McKernan and Weir were nearly fired from the band after Garcia and Lesh believed their playing was holding the band back from lengthy and experimental jamming. [3] Onomastician Adrian Room has suggested McKernan was given the name due to his untidy and unclean habits[8] and band biographies say he got the nickname owing to his similarity to Pig-Pen, the permanently-dirty character in the comic-strip Peanuts. Official Sites. He began socializing around the San Francisco Bay Area, becoming friends with Jerry Garcia. [54] He subsequently broke off all personal relationships with the band, explaining "I don't want you around when I die. About Ron "Pigpen" McKernan Ronald Charles McKernan (September 8, 1945 – March 8, 1973), known as Pigpen, was an American singer and musician. Ron McKernan died on March 6, 1973, in Corte Madera, California, USA of massive gastrointestinal hemorrhage. The band's earliest sets centered around blues and R&B covers chosen by McKernan. [17] He went from contributing to every song and singing lead on all of side two of 1968's Anthem of the Sun to little more than sporadic appearances on the following year's Aoxomoxoa. 1724, citing Alta Mesa Memorial Park, Palo Alto, Santa Clara County, California, USA ; Maintained by Find A Grave . At the height of the Grateful Dead's breakout success in the early 1970s, Ron "Pigpen" McKernan served as a driving force behind the jam band's legendary acclaim. Better known as Pigpen, he was considered by many to … found: Wikipedia, September 15, 2017 (Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, Ronald Charles McKernan, born September 8, 1945 in San Bruno, California; died March 8, 1973 in Corte Madera, California; founding member of the San Francisco band the Grateful Dead and played in the group from 1965 to 1972) The couple introduced themselves to Jerry Garcia at a concert in August 1971; coincidentally, ailing keyboardist/vocalist Ron "Pigpen" McKernan (who would go on to play alongside Godchaux from December 1971 to June 1972) was unable to handle the rigors of the band's next tour. Garden Aud., Vancouver Canada, Robert F. Kennedy Stadium, Washington, D.C., July 12 & 13, 1989, Pacific Northwest '73–'74: The Complete Recordings, Pacific Northwest '73–'74: Believe It If You Need It, Playing in the Band, Seattle, Washington, 5/21/74, The Warfield, San Francisco, California, October 9 & 10, 1980, Skeletons from the Closet: The Best of Grateful Dead, Dead Zone: The Grateful Dead CD Collection (1977–1987), All the Years Combine: The DVD Collection, Dead Ringers: The Making of Touch of Grey, Bob Dylan and the Grateful Dead 1987 Tour, Deadicated: A Tribute to the Grateful Dead, Fare Thee Well: Celebrating 50 Years of the Grateful Dead, The Music Never Stopped: Roots of the Grateful Dead, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ron_%22Pigpen%22_McKernan&oldid=991542684, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 30 November 2020, at 16:37. He was buried at Alta Mesa Memorial Park in Palo Alto. [14][15] In 1967, drummer Mickey Hart joined the Grateful Dead, followed by classically trained keyboardist Tom Constanten in 1968, further changing the group's style. Especially with the guys rolling through as regular special guests. He was a member of the rock band Grateful Dead, in which he sung and played the keybord. He was a founding member of the San Francisco band the Grateful Dead and played in the group from 1965 to 1972. [3] He built up a substantial collection of old blues 78s from labels such as Kent and Chess. In light of the horrible tragedy in Little Rock on Sunday with the death of a young man of 24 years of age, I wanted to warn other young people of the dangers of alcohol and drugs. His father was a rhythm and blues disk jockey, so Pigpen got exposed to that type of music at an early age. Ron was the son of Esther Elvera (Nelson) and Phillip Charles McKernan, a disc jockey. Steve Parish claims Pigpen and his brother both died from complications of Crohn's disease. Mr. Hunter had moved to New Mexico by the time Garcia, Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh and Ron “Pigpen” McKernan had formed the Grateful Dead. Unlike the other members of the Grateful Dead, McKernan avoided psychedelic drugs, preferring to drink alcohol (namely whiskey and flavored fortified wine). [11][12], The Dead's early sets centered around blues and R&B covers chosen by McKernan. Born in California on September 8, … From his biker good looks to his gruff, dusty voice, Ron "Pigpen" McKernan managed to work that combination into one of the '60s most encompassing jam bands. Cause of death Respect to the player but I thought he was an alcoholic as hinted at in the text. I think he would have had at least as much success as like a Dr. John or something with a Ron "pigpen" Mckernan band a la Jerry Garcia Band. (4) Ron “Pigpen” McKernan was born Sept. 8, 1945 and died from alcohol abuse on March 8, 1973. He was a founding member of "Grateful … McKernan struggled to keep up with the changing music, causing the group to hire keyboardist Tom Constanten, with McKernan's contributions essentially limited to vocals, harmonica, and percussion from November 1968 to January 1970. [23] While Garcia expressed frustration at McKernan's missed rehearsals and his inability to keep up with new material,[24] Lesh was more forgiving, opining that "it was okay for Pigpen to lay out ... we kept wanting Pigpen to be there because he was 'one of us. Co-founding member of the Grateful Dead Ron “Pigpen” McKernan sadly passed away on this date in 1973 at the young age of 27. Pigpen had a close relationship with Janis Joplin, with both preferring booze to drugs at the time. A founding member of the band The Grateful Dead, Ron McKernan, known affectionately by the band and Deadheads alike as “Pigpen,” was a piano and harmonica player on the San Francisco music scene. [27] During Tom Constanten's tenure with the group, McKernan occasionally played his bandmate's double-manual Vox Super Continental on select songs (most notably "Death Don't Have No Mercy") through May 1969. Little is known about his family or early life. He was the band's original frontman as well as playing harmonica and electric organ, but Garcia and bassist Phil Lesh's influences on the band became increasingly stronger as they embraced psychedelic rock. [61], "He's Gone", originally appearing on the live album Europe '72, subsequently became a eulogy to McKernan by his former bandmates. Musician. One day in February 1973, Ron “Pigpen” McKernan got out of bed in his apartment in Corte Madera, California, where he’d recently been spending most … Producers Terry Allen Fraser and Diana Raquel Sainz are embarking on a feature film about the music and life of Ron “Pigpen” McKernan. A lifetime of alcoholism combined with hepatitis he contracted during the band's 1972 European tour severely damaged Pigpen's health. McKernan was the first of the Dead's founding members to suggest they form a band, and his life-long infatuation with … The song appeared on the live album Europe '72, his last with the group. He began to alternate between the Vox Continental and the Hammond B-3 in June 1967, usually reserving the former instrument for outdoor and impromptu concerts, including the band's performance at the Columbia University protests of 1968. He initially played an indeterminate Farfisa combo organ[26] before switching to the more elaborate Vox Continental[2] in 1966. [6], McKernan began spending time around coffeehouses and music stores, and worked at Dana Morgan's Music Store in Palo Alto with Garcia. Ronald C. “Pigpen” Mckernan the founder member of Grateful Dead band, was born September 8, 1945. He composed the infrequently performed "Operator" for 1970's American Beauty. Pigpen was born Ron McKernan on September 8, 1945 in Palo Alto, California, where he also grew up. [29][30] Unlike fellow vocalists Garcia and Weir, he sang lead without playing any instrument except harmonica and actively interacted with the audience, occasionally walking out into the crowd. [43][a], He developed a close friendship with fellow keyboardist Tom Constanten based on their mutual aversion to psychedelics[22] and eventually served as best man at Constanten's first wedding. found: Wikipedia, September 15, 2017 (Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, Ronald Charles McKernan, born September 8, 1945 in San Bruno, California; died March 8, 1973 in Corte Madera, California; founding member of the San Francisco band the Grateful Dead and played in the group from 1965 to 1972) [15] By the early 1970s, he also began to experience symptoms of congenital primary biliary cholangitis, a rare autoimmune disease which was unrelated to his use of alcohol. According to Grateful Dead: What a Long, Strange Trip It's Been, biographer Michele Hollow tells us that one of McKernan's former girlfriends might've given him the nickname based on the perpetually-dirty character in Charles Schultz's Peanuts comics. [33] Even as his instrumental contributions waned, McKernan's vocal performances remained an integral part of the band's live set; by early 1971, their cover of the Rascals' "Good Lovin'" (initially performed by the group as early as 1966 and featured at shows at the Fillmore East later released as Ladies and Gentlemen... the Grateful Dead) began to emerge as a secondary showcase of his improvisatory talents alongside "Love Light. But unlike Joplin, Pigpen's passing was actually due to congenital biliary cirrhosis, a rare autoimmune disease that is unrelated to alcohol use. He continued to be a frontman in concert for some numbers, including his interpretations of Bobby Bland's "Turn On Your Love Light" and the Rascals' "Good Lovin'". [63], Ladies and Gentlemen... the Grateful Dead, History of the Grateful Dead, Volume One (Bear's Choice), Steppin' Out with the Grateful Dead: England '72, Fillmore West 1969: The Complete Recordings, Family Dog at the Great Highway, San Francisco, CA 4/18/70, 30 Trips Around the Sun: The Definitive Live Story 1965–1995, Shrine Exposition Hall, Los Angeles, CA 11/10/1967, "Grateful Dead Guide: The Vox and the Hammond, 1967-1969", "Grateful Dead Live at Fillmore West on 1970-08-19", "The Grateful Dead Did Get It: Reporters and Cops", "45 Years Ago: The Grateful Dead's Infamous 'Truckin, "Blair's Golden Road Blog - The Keyboardist Question - Grateful Dead", Pigpen's page on the Dead's Official Site, Top 10 Pigpen McKernan Grateful Dead Songs, Winterland June 1977: The Complete Recordings, July 29 1966, P.N.E. At the height of the Grateful Dead 's breakout success in the early 1970s, Ron "Pigpen" McKernan served as a driving force behind the jam band's legendary acclaim. The 1971 live album Grateful Dead featured three overdubbed organ parts from Merl Saunders in addition to McKernan's contributions on "Big Railroad Blues", "The Other One", and "Me & Bobby McGee". Because neither took illegal drugs, McKernan and Constanten were the only members of the band not arrested in the January 31, 1970 police raid that inspired the lyrics of the band's song "Truckin'". (Redirected from Ron McKernan) Ronald Charles McKernan (September 8, 1945 – March 8, 1973), known as Pigpen , was an American singer and musician. Whatever the cause may be, Winehouse was an unbelievable talent who was taken from the world far too soon. Ron ‘Pigpen’ McKernan Ron McKernan, better known as Pigpen, was born in 1945 in California. Above: Ron ‘Pigpen’ McKernan (1945-1973) photographed in 1972 (Image credit: Getty) The 80s began with new keyboard player Brent Mydland replacing Keith and Donna Godchaux, and the release of the patchy Go To Heaven album, whose cover made the group look like ageing New Romantics. Road manager Jon McIntire commented that "Pigpen was relegated to the congas at that point and it was really humiliating and he was really hurt, but he couldn't show it, couldn't talk about it. Where is Ron Pigpen McKernan grave? Charlie." [3], Though McKernan's garage rock style was appropriate for their early recordings, it was less suited to the group's later psychedelic and jamming styles. The combination of Crohn's and alcoholism would make a lot more sense than an otherwise healthy 27 year old drinking himself to death. Even with their tendency toward wild experimentation, he kept those blues roots strong. Name: Jim Morrison. The Alta … Buried: Palo Alto, CA. [19][20] Following his discharge from the United States Air Force in November 1968, Constanten officially joined the band, having only worked in the studio while on leave up to that point. Ron McKernan was born on September 8, 1945 in San Bruno, California, USA as Ronald Charles McKernan. 'Pigpen' McKernan lived up to his name but he died at 27 of alcohol abuse Garcia was paid $125,000 by Ben and Jerry’s ice cream for the use of ‘Cherry Garcia’ By Caroline Howe For Dailymail.com Buried: Palo Alto, CA. McKernan's developing passion for music eventually landed him a job at Dana Morgan's Music Store in Palo Alto, where, age 14, he met Garcia. The vocalist and keyboardist proved responsible for the band's blues-based tone, even taking over singing duties on tunes such as "Turn on Your Lovelight," "Alligator," "Big Boss Man," and "Mr. A founding member of the band The Grateful Dead, Ron McKernan, known affectionately by the band and Deadheads alike as “Pigpen,” was a piano and harmonica player on the San Francisco music scene. Band: Grateful Dead. Garcia was impressed and McKernan became the blues singer in local jam sessions. "[57], Weir later became influenced by McKernan's ability to work a crowd and improvise lyrics. [9], Along with Garcia and second guitarist Bob Weir, McKernan was a participant in the predecessor groups leading to the formation of the Grateful Dead, beginning with the Zodiacs and Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions. He was a founding member of the San Francisco band the Grateful Dead and played in the group from 1965 to 1972. On March 8, 1973, Ron McKernan died at age 27. In 1970′s he had first stage of biliary cirrhosis. McKernan sang, and played organ and harmonica. https://www.geni.com/people/Ron-Pigpen-McKernan/6000000034842914770 Ron McKernan — better known as “Pigpen” — was born on Sept. 8, 1945, in San Bruno, Calif. His father was one of the first white rhythm and blues disc jockeys, and so McKernan grew up amidst black music and culture, which would influence him later on. [7] One night Garcia invited McKernan on stage to play harmonica and sing the blues. [38], McKernan was close friends with American singer-songwriter Janis Joplin due to common musical influences and lifestyles, particularly a shared love of alcohol over other drugs;[39] a poster from the early 1970s showed them together at 710 Ashbury. Founding vocalist and keyboard player Ron ‘Pigpen’ McKernan, a heavy drinker, died of liver failure in 1973. Pigpen had a close relationship with Janis Joplin, with both preferring booze to drugs at the time. 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