A Reflection On The Death Of Phil Lesh

Longevity in creativity is a relatively modern phenomenon,
the further back into history we might go, the more limited
the means for creativity were, and the older a writer or composer
got, the more uncertain their life chances became whilst their energy
for life and creativity slowly, then more overtly, drained away.

Enter the world of amplified music, often played on guitar,
where the player's ability to stand, concentrate, and sing the lyrics
they had written are less demanding in themselves, though touring
the music town to town, city to city, will tire a musician eventually.

Enter one musician who died recently. Bass player Phil Lesh
of The Grateful Dead, who in their time set the standard for touring,
playing live, taping gigs, and making the road a creative place to be,
where with their music they formed a deep bond with their audience
that was as unique as it was immersive and enduring. 

That bond may be somewhere between myth and memory now,
due to the 1995 departure of Jerry Garcia, where after his death
no number of digitally buffed up live CD's of when that band bond
was at work can replace the feeling of being in their presence, as the band played.

But from the accounts of their past, future generations
can know that deep and loyal bonds between musicians
and their audience may still be created in future
-when the musicians get tight with each other
and put the work in, finding who to play for,
and most of all play for much more than money.