Rock Musician. He played the piano and keyboards in the rock band "The Grateful Dead" from 1970 until 1979. Brought into the band initially to augment the performance of original keyboard player and member Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, he took over the spot in the band when McKernan retired from performing in June 1972 due to health issues brought on by alcoholism. He would appear on their live recording album releases: "Europe '72" (1972), "History of the Grateful Dead, Volume One (Bear's Choice)" (1973) & "Steal Your Face" (1976) and their studio album releases: "Wake of the Flood" (1973), "From the Mars Hotel (1974), "Blues for Allah" (1975), "Terrapin Station" (1977) and "Shakedown Street" (1978). He left the band in 1979 to form his own music group, which eventually recorded an album in 1980 as "The Heart of Gold Band". On his thirty-second birthday in July 1980, he was severely injured in a car accident and died from those injuries four days later. In 1994, Godchaux was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Grateful Dead.
Rock Musician. He played the piano and keyboards in the rock band "The Grateful Dead" from 1970 until 1979. Brought into the band initially to augment the performance of original keyboard player and member Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, he took over the spot in the band when McKernan retired from performing in June 1972 due to health issues brought on by alcoholism. He would appear on their live recording album releases: "Europe '72" (1972), "History of the Grateful Dead, Volume One (Bear's Choice)" (1973) & "Steal Your Face" (1976) and their studio album releases: "Wake of the Flood" (1973), "From the Mars Hotel (1974), "Blues for Allah" (1975), "Terrapin Station" (1977) and "Shakedown Street" (1978). He left the band in 1979 to form his own music group, which eventually recorded an album in 1980 as "The Heart of Gold Band". On his thirty-second birthday in July 1980, he was severely injured in a car accident and died from those injuries four days later. In 1994, Godchaux was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Grateful Dead.
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