DEAD MARATHON ON KPFA

The Grateful Dead Hour to Celebrate Twenty-One Years On Air With KPFA Benefit Fund-Raiser Marathon Jan. 28

Sixteen-Hour Radio Program Fundraiser Hosted by David Gans to Feature Grateful Dead and Dead-Related Music; Host Live Music In-Studio

Jerry Garcia by Jay Blakesberg

Hosted by David Gans, the show will be broadcast live on KPFA 94.1 FM in the Bay Area and KFCF 88.1 FM in Fresno, CA. Additionally, the broadcast may be heard around the world via a webcast to any internet connection with an audio streaming program via nugs.net, kpfa.org and kfcf.org.

The broadcast will also feature live music by the Papermill Creek Rounders, a bluegrass band featuring frequent Grateful Dead collaborator David Nelson and Banana, a member of The Youngbloods and collaborator with Zero. Although Bob Weir and Ratdog was scheduled to perform live in the studio at the marathon, an injury to keyboardist Jeff Chimenti forced a postponement. The marathon will feature some live Ratdog recordings along with unreleased and uncirculated music from the Grateful Dead as well as other surprises.

Grateful Dead Hour host David Gans has been doing a benefit radio marathon every winter since 1986, raising tens of thousands of dollars for the venerable listener-supported radio station KPFA and pleasing untold numbers of music lovers around the globe. In 2005, nearly $30,000 was raised from the sixteen-hour marathon, and Gans aims to top that in 2006.

In coordination with the KPFA marathon benefit fundraiser, listeners or supporters who contribute to KPFA will choose from a variety of premiums including some Dick's Picks CDs, a live Ratdog CD, and a CD called Live from Berkeley with performances from David Gans' show, "Dead to the World" featuring artists such as Keller Williams, Yonder Mountain String Band, Railroad Earth, Donna the Buffalo, David Nelson and Friends, Wake the Dead and others. The disc features cover art by legendary poster artist Stanley Mouse.

"The Grateful Dead Hour continues to preserve, protect, and promote the Grateful Dead legacy so people can continue to be turned on to this music. Jerry Garcia has been gone over ten years and the Grateful Dead is receding into history, but the program is able to keep it fresh in people's minds by playing new music each week." Gans expands, "I see my mission as putting the Grateful Dead's best musical foot forward every week and looking at the roots and branches of their creative tree."

- Support KPFA programming: contributions can be made via kpfa.org at any time, or by calling 510-848-5732 or 1-800-439-5732 during the marathon January 28.

-Gans will post updates and program notes at logblog.gdhour.com throughout the day and night.

-Listen to KPFA Grateful Dead Marathon via online stream here.

About the Grateful Dead Hour:

* David Gans, the producer/host of the Grateful Dead Hour, is the author of three books about the Dead: "Playing in the Band: an Oral and Visual Portrait of the Grateful Dead" (with Peter Simon); "Conversations with the Dead"; and "Not Fade Away: The Online World Remembers Jerry Garcia". Gans has also produced CDs and box sets including So Many Roads (1965-1995); Postcards of the Hanging: Grateful Dead perform the songs of Bob Dylan; All Good Things: Jerry Garcia Studio Recordings; The Music Never Stopped: Roots of the Grateful Dead, and more.

* The radio program is broadcast weekly to an estimated national audience of over 250,000 listeners per week, covering 75 stations, and is carried twice each week on XM Satellite Radio (currently with over 5 million subscribers)

* The Grateful Dead Hour has been in national syndication since 1987.

* The Grateful Dead Hour began as the "Deadhead Hour" on KFOG-FM in San Francisco and began its current spot as an American radio institution February 18, 1985 when David Gans appeared as a guest to promote his newly released book "Playing in the Band: an Oral and Visual Portrait of the Grateful Dead". David put together a little radio piece called the 'Greatest Pump Song Ever Wrote' about the song about 'Greatest Story Ever Told.' He enjoyed making and airing this feature on the "Deadhead Hour" so much that he invited himself back. The host at the time wasn't that much of a Deadhead, so he welcomed David's participation. Eventually David was given sole responsibility for the program. In David's words, "I went on the show to promote my book, and it turned into a career."

* David has interviewed all the members including Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Brent Mydland, Donna Jean Godchaux, Bruce Hornsby, and Vince Welnick. In addition, David has included in conversation numerous peripheral people to the Grateful Dead Family including sound engineers, road crew, record producers, songwriters, and archivists.

* The Grateful Dead Hour has broadcast over 900 weekly episodes since 1987.

On the web: www.gdhour.com

About KPFA-FM:
Founded in 1949 by Lewis Hill, a pacifist, poet, and journalist, KPFA was the first community supported radio station in the USA. KPFA broadcasts on 94.1 FM and KPFB 89.3 FM, Berkeley, and KFCF 88.1 FM, Fresno, California. The signal reaches one third of the state, utilizing 59,000 watts.

Much of KPFA's programming is local, original and eclectic, with a well produced mix of news and in depth public affairs, an ongoing drama, literature and performance series, interviews, and reviews. Music ranges from folk to hip-hop, Bach to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. KPFA travels the region to broadcast live music, demonstrations, and cultural events. The majority of station staff are unpaid community volunteers donating their time and energy to bring the programming to life.

On the web: www.kpfa.org