When you walk into any gala, or event...there is a TON of work involved in the setting up, or pre-planning of the activity.
Wedding, Charity Event, Fundraiser --- or even walking into a company.
The Man, who set it up and tore it down has died.
Ramrod.
He was the man behind the scenes, that, "made it happen" - for the Grateful Dead.
"Ramrod went to work setting up and tearing down the band's equipment for every show (since 1967)that the The Dead played. He puzzled his way through elaborate situations and circumstances: from the myriad psychedelic dungeons the band played through the '60s, to a concert at the base of the Great Pyramids in Egypt in 1977 to the baseball parks the Dead filled on the endless tours of the '80s and '90s up until Garcia's death."
"He was always there," said Hart, "making sure everybody was taken care of."
The article on this amazing man is HERE. (click here for the SF paper obit)
I send my condolences out to his son, Rudson.
Rudson helped me immensly on the production of a DVD that I produced with the band, "Steve Kimock Band.." He was a steadfast warrior, who saw me under stress and pressure, (producing my 1st concert film) -- and made me feel at ease with him warm spirit, and casual advice.
He helped (like his Father) -- with the organization, set up, and, as Bob Weir used to say ... "Making Sure Everything is Exactly PEFECT.."
Rudson was as MUCH A MEMBER of the "Exactly Perfect Brothers Band" -- (aka Grateful Dead) - as any member who played a instrument.
His instrument was making sure that EVERYTHING WORKED, sounded good, and was set up, and broken down properly. No easy task for a band that played a estimated 2300 concerts -- with a amplification system known as - "The Wall of Sound." (picture here)
My prayers and Thanks go out to the Shurtliff Family -- and a special thanks to a man, who as Robert Hunter said in the 1st paragraph of his "Elegy to Ramrod."(click)
Most never knew his given name.
They called him Ramrod.
Lawrence didn't fit him.
He came down from Oregon,
Prankster sidekick of Cassady,
Kesey and the merry crew,
a silent stoic in a vocable milieu
his heart was stolen by the Grateful Dead.
Ramrod, thanks for making the MUSIC Happen.
Andy
Posting from Kauai
Nice post, Andy.
Posted by: JDH | May 21, 2006 at 08:26 PM
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Posted by: CUBA, I REMEMBER YOU/CUBA, TE RECUERDO | May 22, 2006 at 12:47 AM