VINCE WELNICK : : 1951-2006

Vince was a great talent. He did a great thing in the Greatful Dead and will always be remebered by the deadhead family. Hes gone, Hes goooooonnnneee and nothings gonna bring him back. Hes gone.

does anybody know what the cause was? ...this sucks..

RIP Vince

how did this happen

Ah Vince Man! Hey, I know for a lot of young kids like me - when we were first hitting the scene - Vince was as much a part of THE BOYS as anyone else was. And he definately helped inspire me into knowing that anything, especially for a keyboard player, is possible. You can even become part of your favorite band. It's definately a Long Way to go Home, but let's all hope and pray Vince is riding in their nice and smooth and the big man is waiting upstairs with those licks that used to make Vince and the rest of us smile so hard. Much love brother - may the heavens bring you as many smiles as you brought us down here.

WTF? The GD keyboard curse continues. R.I.P. brother.....

we're forever grateful vince!!!!

The tears are welling in my eyes as I slowly begin to understand that we lost yet another family member today. It's times like these when I realize that the things that meant so much to me are slowly fading away. Put on your 90's dead, blaze it up, and remember a true genius. Rest in Peace Vinnie

http://www.vincewelnick.com/index.php?module=pnForum&func=viewtopic&topic=315

Such a terrible thing. Vince was pushed over the edge by the boys we love so dearly. How could they treat a brother so cruel? Makes me want to tear my Bobby and Phill tickets up.

The cause was apparent suicide.

(via Mercury News)

Apparently it was at his own hand though nothing is confirmed. He was a good friend to a lot of people. I will miss him and I hope he's in a better place, and at peace. My sympathies to everyone who reads this post.

Dear Vinny, You took the seat from Brent when everbody was still in shock. You took the hits and played with emotion that a lot of people enjoyed and loved. I enjoyed your "Missing Man Formation" when a lot of the Heads did not care. I will always cherish my tape from the Dead Hour from 7-6-96 from the Fillmore. Thank you for the fun and may you rest in peace. Jon aka Pinecone

i was at Vince's 1st show, fall tour in Richfield, right after Bird Song Jer introduced him to the audience... it was a very special moment, and a tearful one thinking of the recent loss of Brent...what a treat to then in the year to follow see him jamming and learning his groove with Jer and Hornsby...he was a powerful player in the band and will be greatly missed...
i've been listening to Boston Garden Fall 94 all day...

A humble, nice, sincere cat. What a loss.

Vince; I hope you find the peace we all long for in this world!You will be missed. FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS. YOU KNOW OUR LOVE WILL NOT FADE AWAY !!

I am very saddened by this. What a terrible year it has been.

I am so sad right now. I will miss him very much. He's was the most enlightning,kind, and Great Keyboardist i have ever heard. I only hope the GRATEFUL DEAD members REMEMBER THAT! He will be Missed and we love him very much.
FARE THEE WELL BROTHER VINCE!!!
go to http://www.vincewelnick.com

aww vinny... say it aint so
my long strange started early 80's, but when i do the math, i think i did more vince than brent shows. this man was a good dude, with the right spirit. the couple times i met him he was friendlier than all get out.
you left too soon vince. you will be missed brother

my first bootleg was a 93 show, so i heard vinnie before brent, keith, or pig. he holds a special place in my heart, and good god will he be missed. too many people i know hated on vince, said he never measured up to his predecessors in the hot seat, but i'll always love him. rest in peace, brother.

what a long strange trip it's been... http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/06/03/MNG45J861V4.DTL

Nothing left to do but smile smile smile. You'll be greatly missed Vince. This is another sad day for all the GDF out there...Another keyboardist..wow...damnit this sucks..everyone light one up for vince if ya got em..peace and love all..

this is a shock because i was gettin ready to see gent treadly a few times this summer and now hes gone. and yes dedhed6111 im blastin the 90s dead as we speak in tribute

Damn!, just saw him play a few monthe ago and was looking foreward to seeing him again this August. He tried to take his own life back in '95 when Jerry died also. R.I.P. Vince.

He played a role in bringing some great times to all of us. It's a shame it couldn't be returned. Over ten years and not even an invite to sit in for a few tunes here and there. This should have never happened. Respect and sympathy for you and your family. I'm going to fire up set 2 from 3-18-95, It's all too much vince....

This is so very sad, even more so considering Vince -- who has had health and substance abuse issues -- was hitting the road and playing more live music; word is he was going to be part of a Tubes tour later this year. I wish he could have had that pleasure, especially after not being part of the Dead's reunion shows. Folks asking for more information want wish to check out www.vincewelnick.com. The moderator's comments are mind-blowing, and possibly, eye-opening. Are they all true? I don't know. No matter: I wish Vince didn't also fall victim to the so-called Grateful Dead keyboardist curse. I had the pleasure of speaking with Tom Constanten last month at a Florida show, and he mentioned he and Vince had a conversation last year about being the only GD keyboard players still surviving.

Sigh...RIP Vince. My deepest sympathies to his family and loved ones.

Wonderful talent...and a fragile soul...brought a wonderful sound to the band during some of those final "turbulent" years...may the four winds blow you safely home, brother...

i dont understand people referring to the "curse" here. if he was still in the band so be it. but if bruce hornsby passes away decades from now, will he be a part of the "curse" as well?

there is no curse anymore, just sadness.

You know........ jambase missed it, but Hamza El Din has recently passed as well. He had a gallblader infection. This is just a general statement (not to be taken in accordance with these two passings)...... I love Phil & Friends lots. I like what Phil is doing to promote organ donation. What he fails to include in his rap is the part about taking care of yourself. Life is fragile. Be as kind to yourself as you (hopefully) are to others.

may he find peace across that black muddy river & jam the long jam in the sky...
RIP VINCE!

Thanks Vince.

Vince Welnick was once and forever will be a member of the Grateful Dead. "Tomorrow Never Knows," Vince. And don't forget how awesome he was at the Beatle Jam, either!

In honor of Vince, check out the SOTM from the Eugene show on 8-21-93. Love ya, Vince!

Thank you Vince. And deep sympathy to Vince's loved ones. I will never forget watching the passion on your face while you played your (all of ours!) beloved music. RIP brother.

i feel like the band i love so much betrayed everything that made me love them. how could the band have treated their supposed friend so horribly? Bobby, Phil, Mickey, Bill...shame on you. I feel like the wonderful legacy of the Dead has been irreversibly tainted. Your self-centeredness took away a man who loved you all dearly, and only wanted to play music with you. And you cast him away for it. It's so hard to type and cry...


We love you Vince.



www.vincewelnick.com READ IT

"Any which way you are tempted to roam, It's a long long long long long long way to go home"

Vince you will be missed. My the four winds blow you safely home.
-Walt B

everyone needs to read lastubbe's posting and check out the link for a better idea of what has happened. in case you missed it:

http://www.vincewelnick.com/index.php?module=pnForum&func=viewtopic&topic=315

REST IN PEACE VINCE. YOUR MEMORY WILL ALWAYS LIVE ON THROUGH ALL YOUR MUSIC.

Great Vince/ Hornsby shows at MSG after Brent passed, This Ga. boy was satisfied.Help-Slip-Fire on the mountian at The old Boston garden.Wow Ive got chills thinkin bout the day....

I really hope Vince's death wasn't a suicide, that would be heart-breaking. Hopefully we'll learn more in the next few days. I dusted off my tapes of 5-19-1992 to pay tribute to Vince. What an excellent show!

It's a long, long, long, long, long, long, long way...

way to go home.

they call him family over at dead.net.....what a joke.

"listen to the river sing sweet songs to rock my soul".

you will be missed, vince.

I too am saddened by Vince's death (I saw a lot of great shows with Vince in the keyboard slot) - but ease up a bit on the Boys will you? Ask yourself how many people out there in Deadland wanted to see Vince (rather than Bruce or Rob B. or Jeff C. or whoever) on the keys after Jerry died (or even when he was still alive). I felt bad for Vince when he played the campground (and not the show) during the Family Renunion, but not bad enough that I would have wanted him at the show instead of Rob and Jeff. Truth be told, there was never a time when Vince was on stage when I wouldn't rather have seen someone else up there (and I think a lot of other people felt the same way). Can we blame the Boys for feeling the same way that a lot of us felt? I don't think so. (Again - I feel bad that Vince has passed, but let's not place blame for this in anyone's lap. Whatever caused Vince's untimely end, it's not fair to put the blame on any person or group of people.)

9/20/90. unreal. rest in peace vince.

He was given the oppurtunity of a lifetime.Even though I could have chose someone else to fill Brent's shoes he was the "chosen" one.6-14-91 what a show...MSG shows c'mon..He gave it his all...RIP brother Vince.

After reading the mike LAwsons comments on vw.com, I gotta wonder what the other side of the story is? Why did they not invite him to the family reunion, or return his calls? What was their motive behind those actions? There's two sides to every story...We've heard Vince's side from a dear friend, now what's bob and phil and mickey and bill's story???

I'm with you jakeh. While I am deeply saddened as well, there should be no blame for anything that has transpired. People grieve in different ways, and one of them is to place blame, more often than not somewhere it does not belong. Whatever your personal feelings, whatever transpired in any Grateful Dead business meetings, or in any of Vince's personal relationships, leave them out of here. I would rather just crank some tunes and remember the GOOD THINGS. May the four winds blow you safely home, Vince.

Many, many happy days spent listening to Vince on keys. Always loved all the Dead keyboard players, I don't subscribe to argument and debate about who is 'better', such notions are far too subjective and theoretical. But Vince had a special place. Thanks man.

6/14/94 and a number of Eugene 90's shows have been on all weekend here.

one love

"lets get down and dirty, lets get sweet and low" .....ok....bad time to joke.....babba o' in denver in 94....attics in albany 92....long way to go home every night??? i guess so......running your leslie backstage still wont make that peice of shit sound like a B3 but thanks for trying....i liked him better with the tubes anyway...help>slip>fire brought hope!!!! it was a good gig but we all knew about the curse!!!!!some trips are longer and stranger than others.....SEE YOU IN HELL, BROTHER!

Enough with the rumors and bad mouthing, if you don't have something positive to say don't say anything. Go home, pick thru some old tapes, pack your favorite bowl, and enjoy! Even better, go see live music and DYAO!!! I couldn't think of a better way to pay tribute, it's all about the music. And if you're worried about Vince, don't be. He's probably been jammin with Jerry since the moment he left and in a state of complete peace. Be good family, cheers to you all, and thanks for the music Vince, you will be missed!

are you, jakeh, somehow implying that vince welnick was not a great keyboard player? How dare you? Nobody on this page actually bashes "the boys", they only point the way to another point of view. Yet you show up in his obituary to bash his playing. go home kid

when a friend is stricken w/ mental and/or physical sickness, you'd do whatever it takes to get them help - you should be willing to cut off your right arm to do such for a family member - if it is true about how vince was treated by the rest of the band, what a crying shame - where's the 'family' in that? -- i can only hope that vince is resting in peace & freed from the demons that surrounded him on this cruel earth - yeah he was just another keyboard player for the grateful dead, but most importantly he was a human being -- we must never lose sight of the fact that we're all humans -- i can't understand how a band would welcome someone back w/ open arms after being ripped off by that person's father & that very same band couldn't help out a sick 'family member' - but i guess nothing surprises me anymore (see bob's picture w/ donald trump!)

Never really cared much for Vince as a musician. "Long Way to Go Home" provided me with a great opportunity to take a piss at most shows. But, as a person, he seemed alright with me. Death is never at the right time. I wish Vince's family and friends health and strength.

RIP my friend. You will be GREATLY missed.

"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway
where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a
negative side." -Hunter S. Thompson

RIP Vince

I've always been a Tubes fan foremost rather than a Deadhead, so I won't comment about Vinces contribution to the GD. I saw him live way back in 1981 when the Tubes played in London and (as a musician) have been influenced by him and the rest of the Tubes ever since. From what I have been told and have read over the years Vince was a lovely, sensitive guy who went through a lot of health and personal problems and deserved better. I'll miss him and find it a real shame that he didn't hang around long enough to fulfil the recent plans for a Tubes reunion. Maybe such an event would have made him feel better about his life. RIP Vinnie. You will be missed by so many people.

Leave your demons behind and join the super-group in the sky brother. Yes i was a brent fan, a dead fan, a vince fan but more importantly a fan of great music and great human beings. Vince was both, an unbelievable musician (listen, really listen to his contributions, GD, Tubes, Todd rundgen, Missing man) and he was also a kind man. We met him at the Cincinnati Zoo for a Pirates Ball with JGB.I think in 96' or 97'. He hung out, laughed and cut it up with everyone to the point of being late getting on stage to play. I have been fortunate enough to catch him several times since and weather he remembered me from the zoo or not, he always acted as if did. Always greated with that "hey I know you" smile and a few kind words. Once on stage he entered the zone, full of emotion and from what i gather "aint no place he'd rather be". Celebrate his life, think of him with a smile on your face, he tried to jump on and help keep the train going after Brent passed and he did it with class and his own style (this is coming from a HUGE Brent fan). He never tried to replace anyone, just contribute . He was family...one of OUR family and will remain part of it as long as we keep our stories and the music rolling. I've been to many shows so i feel I can comment on how they have affected me...i have never been to GD Board meeting! Keep it Kind and celebrate life, take care of your sisters and your brothers---
---we love you Vinnie, Jerry, Brent, Ramrod, Hamza, Pigpen, George, Keith...the list goes on and on...we love all of you!
----the kindfolk family -----

My first Dead show unfortunately was the last show (Chicago) so Vinnie was the only Dead keyboardist I ever seen live. After listening to all the various eras and keyboardists....Vinnie may not have tore it up like some of the others (Bruce/Brent) but after reading some of these other posts it really did make me think.....what happened to him after Jerry passed? Why wasn't he involved in the Dead-ish ensembles with Phil, Bobby, Mickey, and Bill and the Herrings, Kimocks, Karans, Haynes and whoever else stepped up in place of Jerry? Was Jerry the reason he was in the Dead? Anyone know these answers feel free to post em. A lil confused Dead head here... RIP Vinnie...you seemed like a gentleman to me!

I have to say Vince was a class act. Having suffered with demons, as most of us had, I empathize. What I can't even comprehend is being dismissed by members of The Grateful Dead.
What I realize now more than ever is that when we all thought Jerry was God and the rest of the band was a band, we were right. Jerry and Vince were passionate. As far as the remaining members of the band are concerned, they are in it for the money. Don't kid yourself. That's it. Vince, you were put in a hard place. As your friend would have told you, the harder they come, the harder they...
namaste, Vince

Oh I forgot to add, while I like Rob and Jeff too, why weren't they invited after Brent's demise? Just a thought?

Fare thee well, my brother. Vince was, by far, one of the kindest souls I have ever known. I was fortunate to spend 6 days on the road with Vince when he played in April with Cubensis. He always greated you with a big hug and a bigger smile. Humble as the day is long, he truely appreciated just being able to play for you. I got to see a few shows on Brent's last tour, then many shows with Uncle Vinny, including Chicago 1995. I feel honored to have seen him, but also to have known the man with the big heart.

"There's music in the distance
I can't help but feel alive
In my heart I still see you
The colonel at your side
Had I known you were leavin'
I wouldn't let you get away
But it only stands to reason
Every set must end some day

In the end I'll think again
We told jokes and played
I'll say I knew you when
These were some golden days" -Golden Days by Vince Welnick

i think what some people are forgetting is that the Grateful Dead were an experimental group. Vince had enough balls to get up there with guys who had been playin together for 25 years. sometimes he failed but most times he succeeded; but he gave it his all...the man had guts and soul and the few people on here who are speaking ill of a great musician have obviously never picked up an instrument before...

what exactly did happen on the ratdog bus? why was vince thier? ?

As a tribute during our performance last night, Cubensis performed Vince's first show with the Dead. It might be a stretch, but as we played I was stunned over and over to realize prophetic the songs and lyrics were...seeming to indicate the course Vince's life would take, from his desperation and poverty just before he was hired by the Dead ("Out in the cold rain") to his bravely assuming the keyboard hotseat that was supposedly cursed ("Don't mind dying"), Jerry's death, Vince's plea to the remaining bandmembers for inclusion ("Turn on your lovelight, Let it shine on me"), and so many more phrases...it's all there if you look at it right, all the way to the poignant finality of the encore.

Maybe you had to be there last night, but mull it over for yourself and think through some of the songs...it wouldn't be the first time this music spoke perfectly to the situation at hand. Some of us found it comforting.

Richfield, OH Coliseum 9/7/90 (Vince Welnick's first show)

Cold Rain and Snow
Walkin' Blues
Ramble on Rose
Me and My Uncle
Big River
Althea
Masterpiece
Bird Song
Picasso Moon
U.S. Blues

China Cat Sunflower
I Know You Rider
Truckin'
Crazy Fingers
Playin' in the Band
drums
I Need a Miracle
Black Peter
Turn on Your Love Light

Knockin' on Heaven's Door

"dedhed6111 :: 6/5/2006 9:27 AM wrote: are you, jakeh, somehow implying that vince welnick was not a great keyboard player? How dare you?"

2 comments (1) No, I very clearly was not saying that. My claim was simply that I prefer others and obviously so do the Boys. (2) How dare I? Um...if I'm right this is a music site right? We are allowed to criticize, no?

"Nobody on this page actually bashes "the boys", they only point the way to another point of view."

Um....really? Read the posts again there boss. The webmaster at VW.com very clearly tells them off and so have a few folks here.

"Yet you show up in his obituary to bash his playing."

Not what I was doing. I was, however, defending a group of guys that were always more than a band to me.

"go home kid."

Um...thanks....Dad?

...we now return our souls to the Creator.
And as we stand on the edge of eternal darkness, let our chant fill the void, that others may know; in the Land of the Night, the Ship of the Sun is drawn by the Grateful Dead...
Turn off your mind, relax and float downstream,
this is not dying, this is not dying...

R.I.P Vinnie

http://www.vincewelnick.com/index.php?module=pnForum&func=viewtopic&topic=315
Ive lost all my respect for the remaining dead members
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Having been blessed to have known and play with Vince, I'm saddened by our loss. Ironic that "The Family" that Vince was once a part, seem more distant than total strangers.

Those fortunate as myself to have known this "kind soul" were alsp aware of Vince's pain at not being included in "family" gatherings.

When Bobby called, Vince answered. Now, where's Bobby?

I will miss you, my friend.

Despite what we as fans know or don't know (or THINK we know), most likely we can agree on several things. One, we all love the music of the Grateful Dead, and Vince Welnick. Two, Vince was a wonderful human being, and went out of his way to make others happy. Three, there is only one person who knew exactly what was going on in the world of Vinnie, and he's no longer with us. So we can get on this website and rail on about how "I have no respect for the remaining members of the Dead" and so on and so on, and if that's what you want to do, fine. But realize that 99% of the music industry have never made any bones about being money-grubbing parasites. As Dead fans, we have the distinct privelige of loving a group who more or less dedicated themselves to touring, and relied on the Deadheads for the better part of their career to keep them afloat. Who are any of us to judge these guys? I'm not saying they didn't treat Vince like shit, but I'm not saying they did either. If they did then they have to live with this on their conscience, and that will be horrible enough for them. Remember that Vince signed every post on his website "Love Vince". I'll remember him with a whole lot of love, happiness, and appreciation of the fact that I can do it. And I'll keep on dancin that samba every time it rains.

I wish I knew what that other side of the story was. It was always hard for me to accept Vince in the beginning because he was sitting where Brent should have been and that was a hard blow for me. Nevertheless I came to really like Vince and applaud his efforts in getting in the groove. I can remember an amazing Philly show where Vince put Tubular Bells into space...that was bloody amazing. The song Long Way to Go Home was when I really felt we were hearing from Vince for the first time. His voice finally stepped out of the shadows and his soul was poured forth. Not the easiest statement to make as it echoed the loss of Brent "I will take you home" and of course we had always felt that the 4 winds would blow us safely home. It was a rougher time for the Dead then I guess. Jerry was always telling us if he knew the way, he would take us home. Perhaps Vince really knew the way and did not have time to show us. But some of those jams came pretty close folks. I actually thought that Vince was so hit by the loss of Jerry, that he did not want to be part of the reunions. This new idea that he was not invited disturbs me more than I can say. I really need Phil to step up to the plate and tell us what the deal was, or I can never see any of these live again. Integrity begs answers. I will miss Vince greatly and I hope he did indeed find his way home.

Woody

well it is very very sad to have a any life lost, especially one that has made soo many people happy. i was never a vince fan. but what we are all forgeting is that all of the anger that comes from the family to vince, more than likely stems from the fack that we all know that had it not been for vince, we would of had a few more years with jerry. vince turned jerry on to a lot of the demons that cause jerrys death(herion). maybee thats why he was sent in a taxi cab by bobby . i think that while all of the family truely mourns vinces death in the back of thier minds they cant forget the things that he has done.

"Goin home, goin home
by the waterside I will rest my bones
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
to rock my soul"

j. garcia

thanks vince for all the great music and memories!

in response to hippiessmell....wow. i have read some ignorant things on this board, but nothing compares to the dribble you just posted onto here. There is no point to forcefeed your opinion's; as isolated and one sided as they are. you are actually gonna have the balls to come on here like some allmighty Grateful Dead fan and throw stones at a man who just took his own life. do you not care about his family, fans and everyone else here who has taken this news as a hit. people are expressing thier heartfelt emotions and grieving in thier own right and you stumble across and add your two cents loike its worth a million bucks..like you have the inside track. tell me. do you know that Vince turned Garcis onto heroin. were you there shooting up with them? and does this mean that all those years that Jerry was on drugs and boozing, even with hish shitty diabetic health, but that it was Vince who took him away from us early. I am afraid you have not only missed the entire message in this trajedy, but you have completely looked away from the mission statement of the Grateful Dead's music , and the music community we coexist in as a whole. Normally I do not take such a strong stance on any of these forums. Everyone has thier own opinion...and you obviously have yours. It is comments like yours that fuel hate. and steal away souls like Vince. I feel sorry for you.

yeah... i agree with dublover...i've never heard anything about vince turning jerry on to anything...as if that would have had anything to do with it in the first place...
i believe brent and jerry used to party pretty hard together, but i read an interview where vince said that he never touched hard drugs? i feel a little silly even talking about this because it is really none of our business in the first place, like if they were to start pointing fingers from the stage down to the audience about who is on what! haha! at least they had enough wits about them to perform every night, we've all seen those space cadets trudging through the crowd, smearing their lit cigarette across the brand new shirt you just bought in the lot earlier in the day, no one would pay money or travel to see them come to play, now would they?
we are talking about ADULTS here, and their decisions are their own... not all choices are the right one, which all of us have learned in our own lives...
and as far as jerry getting a few more years if it hadn't been for----well, the blame is on the fans, more so, SOME of the fans... anyone who was around back then and witnessed how the scene started to crumble and collapse under its own weight... it was all the people that showed up without tickets, the irresponsible partying, the lack of respect for the band when they were specifically giving us instructions on how to behave! they should not have had to do that... it was, in fact, the opposite of what they represented to have to be laying down rules of any kind in the first place...
on a final note, who was the roadie who wrote a book? was it scully? he made very specific references to substances that jer played around with, and that was looong before vince even was in the band...

man, it is really sad when someone comes on here and rants and makes accusations without knowing what the hell they are talking about(hippiesmell) Vince didn't turn jerry on to heroin, Jerry was doing Heroin since the 1970's...way before even meeting vince. besides, maybe you forgot that jerry didn't die of a heroin overdose anyway, he had sleep apnea and his heart gave out in his sleep (quite common among sleep apnea sufferers). try and be a little more informed before you post. peace.

I had the opportunity to work with Vince within the last 5 years and the guy was a true gentleman ALWAYS. His vibe was always on and his soul was playing music and making others happy.
I have to say I am really disappointed in the GD guys. One of my main reasons for enjoying the Dead was the community that came along with it. The community is still there but it seems to be being held up by everyone but them...I guess living in the "sureal life: for that long have relationships, people, love and life become disposable. I really hope that Bobby, Phil, Bill, and Micky read some of this stuff.

really enjoyed the dead w/ & w/o vince also enjoyed seeing vince play w/ dso once. my understanding if bobby &ratdogs position w/ vince is.. that due to his addiction problem/suicide attempt they decided to distance themselves from him. a resonable decision when dealing with addicts. help is available, not for people who just need it but want it. R.I.P brother Vince

Rest in Peace, Vince. You will be missed...

As for all of you folks who insist on talking about things you have no idea about, please stop. It is ridiculous. Bickering about the lives of Vince and Jerry...you did not even know them!

Also, I am sick of hearing people bash the remaining members of the dead. So what if they are into their own side projects and disagree on certain business decisions. Do you think that everything was perfect when Jerry was still around? Was the vibe always perfect at every single show? No.

If you want the vibe at shows to be amazingly great, then why don't you take personal responsibility in making that happen. Not just at shows, but every day of your life. Send out those good vibes, and they will spread and come back your way.

But bashing people you don't know in a public forum is no way to spread good vibes. Come on now....

Thanks for all of the amazing music Vince!

Jerry said it the best , " If your looking for a friend , get a dog " Grateful Dead was always a pressure cooker . I knew Vince and I liked him .
I hope where ever he is now he is happy .

Vince got a raw deal, but in the past couple years, Mr. Weir hasn't been treating anyone particularly well - with the exception of himself. I try to ignore the foibles and shortcomings of my favorite musicians, but Mr. Welnick was shafted by the Dead.

Still, nothing left to do but smile smile smile...

Oh Hippiessmell, me thinks you hit the bong a little to hard before your post. Wait, that statement would be doing a disservice to weed. I had wondered for many years why Vince wasn't involved post '95. How sad that it took these recent events to somewhat educate me. Demons will get you everytime if you let them. "One person gathers what another person spills". It's called humanity.

Photo Gallery from Vince's shows at Firelake last summer.

http://www.performanceimpressions.com/Firelake/VinceWelnick.html

In a recent article in Relix - "Life After Dead" Vince admitted that he tried to commit suicide in late '95/ early '96 and that probably freaked out Bobby and the boys. This was when he was abruptly replaced with Johnny Johnson. He said something to the effect of "that may be why the phone stopped ringing recently." I don't think Bobby or the other guys need to be bashed for not including Vince in any of the recent tours.
Vince RIP - Thank you for your time and your sounds! Samba in the Rain....

I have one funny story about Vince. I was in the front row of the Mickey Hart show in Anaheim '96 or '97. There was this woman in her late 30's or so freaking everyone in sight, you can bet the hippies there were loving it. She was dancing extremely suggestively towards Vince throughout the show. She worked her way up to the very front in front of Vince for the encore. He was the last one on stage and motioned to her as he got up. Without missing a beat she jumped up on stage, he put his arm around her and they walked back stage together. I'm sure that was a happy memory for Vince! Rest in Peace.

From Steve Kimock's website, sad but well spoken
http://www.kimock.com/content/other/eulogy.html

Photos of Vince's last show in Chicago in 2005.
http://www.photosofthegame.com/vw.html
We miss you Vince

stop bashing the Dead, stop bashing each other, stop bashing Vince. I think it was cowardly to take your own life but thats me. As far as the Dead goes we don't know the whole story and never will. we weren't involved and therefore have no say, everyone has an opinion and we are all entitled to it.Let me speak my mind and you speak yours. We have no right to condemn others opinions.

I am not sure if everyone is following the articles on all fronts concerning Vince, but I thought everyone might appreciate seeing Barlows eulogy for Vince. This is the address: http://www.vincewelnick.com/index.php?module=pnForum&func=viewtopic&topic=418

It put some things in perspective for me, and perhaps leaves me feeling a little more understanding about the situation. I will respond to some of those comments here but you should read the eulogy first.

The Grateful Dead was a fabulous Beast. It was an often an out of control sociosphere. Perhaps it was an energy of chaos and then again perhaps it had supernatural plans for all of us. Perhaps it is an entity that still seeks to fulfill its mission, or perhaps the consciousness of the beast itself is in a state of permanent loss that we mere mortals cannot soothe. Whatever the case, we as citizens, or denizens of the community, seem to simply be cells, and the members of the band themselves to strecth the metaphor even further, organs within this magnificently complex macrocosm. If this be the case, if indeed the great beast has its own thoughts and songs, then perhaps, just perhaps, the remaining members of the band are not solely responsible for the carnage that has resulted in the previous years.

May we all reach for the only thing we have left to rely on, which is our compassion for others, in the face of overwhelming odds and tragedies. If we gained anything from these fleeting moments, it should be to let our Love lights shine and listen to the river sing sweet songs.

Woody

I remember Bret's Passing ... Bruce to me was not the Rhythem and Rhyme Of the dead...Who Was To Replace him ...Some dude from the Tubes ...Who Vince Welnick they call Him Ohhh EYE see ...Well Lets Just Say A Man Is Just A Man Who can Deni That This Man Had No Heart ... His was to shed light...3 had passed before and here came Wellness form Nicholas...St.Nick ??? I Know that That Crazy Diamond Shined Whenever It Could BAcking his Love With Thoughts Of Old For so the Story Is Told It Was Vince Who Stirred Heart to Bring Back Some Songs Of Old And Did He Fit ....Like A Double E Waterfall All Over The Atticks That Made My Journey to the River A Far Far Better One For His Contributions....I'm Grateful for Having Met Him And Sharing with him My Feelings of what he gave...So in His Leaving us I Will Miss Him But I will also Give Thanks To The Father of us All ....The Energy That Binds us ... The Axle to the Wheel-With Every Spoke Leading to him ... Thank you for Vince And May His Soal Rest ,with that Which is His Spirit In Our Fathers World ... To that I will Rejoice In Knowing He Was Dead In This World But Has Been Born Again In Another Till His Time....Thank You Heavenly Father For The Grateful Dead ... In His Time ... So WE Bid You Farewell ... And WE Bid You GoodNght For Who Loves You Best ...My Brother ...Our Brother ...And We Bid You GoodNight ..Goodnight ..Goodnight True Love Not Fade Away !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FARE THEE WELL, VINCE!


Ratdog did: Victim or the Crime > Way to Go Home on June 9, 2006. As McNally said before the set, "Let the music do the talking."

Also, in Robert Hunter's eulogy he referred folks to the music to find answers to their questions surrounding the latest.

Here's what Phil said:
The period after Brent’s death, when Vince first joined the band, was one of one of my most difficult years with the Grateful Dead. Jill and I had become quite close to Brent and his wife Lisa and we spent many happy hours hanging together. I was devastated when Brent died, and I still wonder if there was anything I could have said or done to help him.

In hindsight, it would have been better for everyone concerned, especially Jerry, if after Brent’s passing we had simply cancelled the fall 1990 tours; we needed some time to mourn Brent. Grateful Dead Production's huge monthly overhead kept us from taking time to absorb our loss.

Vince helped us more than he knew; not only the speed with which he learned the music, but also that he took to the music and the scene like a kid at the beach. His energy and enthusiasm helped rekindle our own excitement with the music- at least it did for me.

Vince was a generous spirit and a class act; I’ll never forget his first gig as our sole keyboard (Hornsby having moved on)- as we walked out on stage, some folks in the audience on Vince’s side of the stage were holding up a big sign which read “Hey Vinnie- Welcome, Brother”- which almost moved me to tears, not least because of the contrast to Brent’s reception eleven years earlier. I was so glad that the Heads had accepted Vince that quickly.

After Jerry’s death when I started up PLF as a band, Vince was one of my first “Friends”, and we played a goofy, glorious, fun gig at the Fillmore. We tried to get together again later that year, but he had other commitments. I have nothing but warm memories of Vince and I am forever thankful for the grace and enthusiasm that he brought to the Grateful Dead.

I will remember Vince as a man with a soft voice and a sweet smile who openly adored his wife Lori, who came into the Grateful Dead with the utmost respect for the band, the music- and most of all, the fans.

-Phil

You will be missed and are still loved by ALL.

Fare The Well, just like like he rpmills said. Listen to the river sing sweet songs to rock my soul.

I'm sorry I was such a Brent snob. It must have been an really hard job to fill. Cynics like me must not have helped much.

Did some shmuck call Brent (Brett) on this thread, ok, smoke another one Brett head. Maybe you were being Ironic?

The story is a sad one and I am so appreciative to read peoples perspetives about it. John Barlow particlarly moved and motived me with some words of wisdom passed along the net by some random heads who have my email adress. I saw 89 Vince shows and only one Brent gig 07/08/90 3 rivers stadium, so I in retrospect think I took Vince for granted. At times especially after Bruce dropped out to be a new dad, I felt the sound floundered, never getting back to the sick 87-90 heyday.

But thank you so much Vince for the 89 nights you shared your soul with me, the boys and anyone else who bought a ticket. Listening to CD's and DVD's now I hear you, and realize I didn't appeciate the sublities you brought to the sound. Especially when Hornsby was there I think I overlooked briliiance you brought. I'm so thankful for Ruben and Cherise, it's all too much and every song you bugged the guys to whip out. I wish I could have thanked you in person, and I'm so sorry you didn't get the help you needed. Thanxs again for everything
fare the well

dublover- i never ment to make you cry. you know what read on the net why the familt has distances themselves from vince. he was a hard core drug user. and to the perspn who said:vince never touched hard drugs" thats b s cause at a festi in ny 2 year aqgo i personally sold him some molly. he was loud and and you could telll from tlaking to him for 5 mins he was a lost cause. i am truely soory he has passed . all i ever wanted to do was voice my opinion i ment no harm that is all so whatevr we'll see at the vibes how much he is missed by the fam. people dont just turn their backs on a fellow band member for no reason. read between the lines

I AM SORRY TO JUST FIND OUT TODAY THAT VINCE HAD PAST AWAY. IT'S JUST SUCKS THAT THE T.V. NEWS MEDIA DIDN'T THINK IT WAS IMPORTANT TO REPORT. HE WILL BE MISSED BY ALL.

My name is Vincent Welnick I am the nephew and name sake of Vince welnick I first want to thank all those who made such positive comments about my uncle it really helps me and my family , but i would also like to say to those making negative comments that i think it is very cowardly to speak badly and create completely false rumors about a person who can no longer defend himself I hope you realize that his wife his brothers his sister all read these and are very hurt by them. If you have any more comments you'd wish to make I would greatly appreceate you emailing them to me directly at vwelnick@yahoo.com. Again thank you so much to those with the positive remarks that was what Vince lived for the fans not the money not the fame but the fact that he had a part in making other people happy