26 Facts About Brent Mydland

Brent Mydland was an American keyboardist and singer.

Brent Mydland was a member of the rock band The Grateful Dead from 1979 to 1990, a longer tenure than any other keyboardist in the band.

Brent Mydland quickly became an important member in the Dead, using a variety of keyboards including Hammond organ and various synthesizers and singing regularly.

Brent Mydland wrote several songs on the band's studio albums released while he was a member.

Brent Mydland started piano lessons at age six and had formal classical lessons through his junior year in high school.

Brent Mydland played trumpet from elementary till his senior year in high school; his schoolmates remember him practicing on an accordion, as well as the piano, every day after school.

Brent Mydland graduated from Liberty High School, Brentwood, California, in 1971.

Brent Mydland began playing rock'n'roll with friends in high school, and was influenced by organists such as Lee Michaels, Ray Manzarek and Steppenwolf's Goldy McJohn.

Brent Mydland became a fan of the Grateful Dead in the late 1960s, though was less impressed by their 1970s material.

Brent Mydland then formed the band Silver with Batdorf, releasing one album on Arista Records.

Brent Mydland joined the Grateful Dead in April 1979, replacing Keith and Donna Godchaux, who had decided to start their own band.

Brent Mydland quickly became an integral part of the Dead owing to his vocal and songwriting skills as much as his keyboard playing.

Brent Mydland quickly combined his tenor singing with founding members Weir and Jerry Garcia to provide strong three-part harmonies on live favorites.

Brent Mydland co-wrote "Revolutionary Hamstrung Blues" with Phil Lesh and Lesh's lyrical collaborator Bobby Petersen, although the song was performed live only once.

Brent Mydland was a cross between Gregg Allman and Howlin' Wolf.

Brent Mydland's last show with the Grateful Dead was on July 23,1990, at the World Music Theater, in Tinley Park, Illinois.

Brent Mydland frequently changed his setup to add new sounds.

Brent Mydland played several different electric pianos and synthesizers throughout his tenure.

Brent Mydland regularly played the Hammond organ, and had a B-3 with ten modified Leslie speakers in his setup for his entire tenure.

In 1986, Brent Mydland formed Go Ahead with several San Francisco Bay area musicians, including Bill Kreutzmann, former Santana members Alex Ligertwood on vocals and David Margen on bass, as well as guitarist Jerry Cortez.

In 1988, Brent Mydland performed at the Bay Area Music Awards, sharing an organ with Merl Saunders and performing alongside Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, John Fogerty, and others.

Brent Mydland did numerous solo projects and performances, as well as duo performances with Bob Weir numerous times throughout the 1980s, with Weir on acoustic guitar and Mydland on grand piano.

Brent Mydland died at his home in Lafayette, California, on July 26,1990, shortly after completing the Grateful Dead's summer tour.

An autopsy conducted by the Contra Costa Coroner's office revealed that Brent Mydland had died of acute cocaine and morphine intoxication.

Brent Mydland is buried at Oakmont Memorial Park in Lafayette, California.

Weir has said that the late '80s and early '90s with Brent Mydland was his favorite time playing in the band.