The Dedicated Deadheads. Why was the Grateful Dead such an influential band? What's the significance of Jerry Garcia's pop icon status?

The Dedicated Deadheads Most artists involved in the music industry evoke an image from the mere mention of their name. For instance, when we hear "Jay-Z" we think about his typical music videos of promiscuous girls, fancy cars, and high-tech gadgets. Another example is "Nirvana." We envision head-banging teenagers following Kurt Cobain's tunes about the frustration with life. What comes to mind when "The Grateful Dead" is stated? For a good bit of people, an …

…and happily as a subculture, an almost cult-like community. Only the Dead could accomplish such a feat as they only made music for the sincere joy in playing it and seeing it enjoyed. Their authenticity was apparent and never questioned by Deadheads. The fans and band had such an intense bond because of their mutual desires to escape the drudgery associated with life and to feel the music without having to worry about outside opinions.