Backbeat Underground Covers Grateful Dead’s ‘Sugaree’: Exclusive Premiere

Backbeat Underground recruited Washington D.C. vocal legend Sir Joe Quarterman to join the band in recording a funky rendition of the Grateful Dead classic “Sugaree.” JamBase is pleased premiere the cover, which officially will be released tomorrow via Color Red Music.

Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia wrote “Sugaree” with lyricist Robert Hunter. The band first performed the track live on July 31, 1971 at New Haven’s Yale Bowl. Jerry included a studio version of “Sugaree” on his debut solo album, 1972’s Garcia. “Sugaree” was played by the Dead over 350 times through Jerry’s death in 1995.

“The idea for this interpretation of a Grateful Dead classic came from a world parallel to ours that diverged somewhere around 1972. One where the Grateful Dead returned from their much revered European tour – now a well oiled one drummer machine – and instead of pursuing a solo album, Jerry insists the band swing through Muscle Shoals for a session with the Swampers,” noted Backbeat Underground in a statement. “After a couple false starts, they decide to take a flyer on a newly written song and instead of the loping 12/8 folkie, we get a groovy 4/4 soul lathered in horns. We enlisted DC music legend Sir Joe Quarterman to give us a Washington by way of Alabama sound to the whole thing.”

“In the spirit of other Color Red releases, we recorded everything but for a few overdubs live in studio. I wrote out this arrangement a week or two before the session and sent it to Sir Joe Quarterman, a legend in his own right and part of DC’s often overlooked musical firmament,” explained Backbeat Underground frontman Satya Thallam. “I think he had no idea what to make of it! But on the day in the studio, with no rehearsal, he found the groove and we all had to just smile when the first words popped out.”

“This was a true DC musical moment – a collaboration between a hall of famer and the city’s extant musical all-stars,” added Thallam. “We were all overjoyed to be part of this musical conversation with a tradition that’s usually overshadowed by this city’s less interesting reputation.”

Backbeat Underground will donate their proceeds from the track to Thrive DC, an organization which works to prevent and end homelessness in Washington D.C. Listen to the funkified, horn-driven “Sugaree” below: