Bob Weir

@ezwind 

Great example!

That entire album is brimming over with killer examples of Weir’s artistry... and that goes for the rest of the band as well. Of course, Garcia and Lesh catch listener’s attention right away but how ’bout some appreciation for Keith Godchaux. Arguably, only Bill Payne displayed a similar fluency across a wide range of genres. 

I’ve always loved the sound of the band in ’72. . . Garcia’s maple board Strat, Weir’s ES345 and that big ’ol grand piano. 

@stuartk - after Brent died, I was hoping that the GD could lure Bill Payne away from Little Feat; he would have fit in great, I think. 

@larsman 

Chops would not be an issue. Whether Payne could hang with the Dead's aesthetic is, for me, not nearly so clear. 

Of course, Garcia did manage to nab Nicky Hopkins for awhile. That would've been fun to see, in person. 

@stuartk 

Billy Payne did play with Phil & Friends on the Fall '99 and Summer 2000 tours.

The Dead had Bruce Hornsby in the guest seat for a time. His musical chops, ability to fit into the Dead's sound contributed to a brief musical renaissance for the band. Ultimately, he chose not to continue with them because of the vibe around Jerry's drug use.