Senator Al Franken Takes Over SiriusXM’s Grateful Dead Channel

  • May 31, 2017
  • 11:00 am PDT
  • Andy Kahn
Al Franken Sirius Crop
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United States Senator and well-known Deadhead Al Franken took over SiriusXM’s Grateful Dead Channel for a day. The guest host took the opportunity yesterday to interview Grateful Dead (and Dead & Company) members Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart, as well as tell stories from his show-going days and more.

Franken played some of his favorite live Grateful Dead recordings, such as his favorite version of “Althea.” The take over additionally focused on three Dead shows at the Winterland Ballroom that took place on October 16 and 17, 1974 and on December 31, 1978, each of which the Senator from Minnesota attended. He also spoke about the time he hosted the Dead’s 1980 Halloween concert at Radio City Music Hall as part of the Franken & Davis comedy team, his experiences at Fare Thee Well in Chicago and more.

An encore presentation of Senator Franken’s day-long Grateful Dead Channel take over will air beginning at 6 a.m. ET this Saturday, June 2. Below are highlights from Franken’s Grateful Dead Channel take over chats with Bobby and Mickey:

[Senator Al Franken Talks With Bob Weir About Being Busted In New Orleans]

[Senator Al Franken Talks With Mickey Hart About Keeping Up The Good Work]

[Senator Al Franken Talks With Mickey Hart About Creating Long Aongs]

[Senator Al Franken Talks With Mickey Hart About Hart’s Involvement In Washington D.C.]

[Senator Al Franken Talks With Mickey Hart About N.I.H. Funding]