BILL KREUTZMANN
Name: Bill Kreutzmann
Birth name: William Kreutzmann
Born: 7 May 1946 Palo Alto, California, U.S.
Bill Kreutzmann (born May 7, 1946 in Palo Alto, California) is an American
drummer who played with rock band the Grateful Dead for their entire thirty-year
career.
Kreutzmann started playing drums at the age of 13, despite having been told by
his sixth grade music teacher that he couldn't keep a beat. As a teenager, he
met Aldous Huxley at his high school, who encouraged him in his drumming. At the
end of 1964 he co-founded the band The Warlocks, along with Phil Lesh, Jerry
Garcia, Bob Weir, and Ron "Pigpen" McKernan. Their first real gig was May 5,
1965, two days before Kreutzmann's nineteenth birthday. In November 1965, the
Warlocks became the Grateful Dead. Meeting fellow percussionist Mickey Hart in
the fall of 1967 would have a big impact on Kreutzmann's career. Hart soon
joined the Dead, making it one of the first (and few) rock bands to feature two
drummers. The two percussionists' remarkable cohesion, synchronicity, and
driving power would be a hallmark of the Grateful Dead sound for the next thirty
years, earning them the nickname "The Rhythm Devils". Their ten-minute drum
duets, a feature of every show from 1978-1995 became legendary in the rock world.
Kreutzmann remained with the Grateful Dead until its dissolution following the
passing of Garcia in 1995, making him one of four members to play at every
single one of the band's 3,500 shows, along with Garcia, Weir and Lesh.
Following the end of the Grateful Dead, Kreutzmann returned to his home in
Hawaii but, by 2000 was back on the road with The Other Ones (Weir, Hart, Bruce
Hornsby, Steve Kimock, Mark Karan, and Alphonso Johnson). The Other Ones were so
successful that in 2003, the band began touring as The Dead (keeping "Grateful"
retired out of respect for Garcia). He participated in the super group at the 17th
Annual Warren Haynes Christmas Jam as a drummer SerialPod, which also includes
Phish members Trey Anastasio and Mike Gordon. At 60 years old, he has lost none
of his expertise and stamina, routinely playing three hours of drumming with
only one 45-minute break.
Kreutzmann also does work as a visual artist and, in 2001, began releasing
limited edition reproductions of his digital artwork. He has a daughter, Stacy,
and two grandchildren through her. He also has a son, Justin Kreutzmann, who is
a film and video director. He is married to Linda Kreutzmann and has two step
sons and a step daughter, Zachary Willis, who is working in the IT world, Andrew
Classen, who is studying graphic design, and Meera Willis, who owns a chain of
very popular shoe stores called MissMeers where Kreutzmann's art has often been
displayed.
Kreutzmann collaborated with Journey guitarist Neal Schon, Sy Klopps, Ira Walker,
and Ralph Woodson to form the Trichromes in 2002. They released an album,
Trichromes, and an EP, Dice with the Universe.
During 2006, Kreutzmann teamed up with fellow Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart,
former Phish bassist Mike Gordon and former The Other Ones lead guitarist Steve
Kimock to form the Rhythm Devils. The band features songs from their respective
former bands as well as new songs written by Jerry Garcia's songwriting
companion Robert Hunter. The Rhythm Devils announced their first tour in 2006
which ended at the popular Vegoose festival in Las Vegas, Nevada over the
Halloween weekend.
Kreutzmann and the Grateful Dead were honored with a life time achievement award
at the 2007 Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California.
Name: Bill Kreutzmann
Birth name: William Kreutzmann
Born: 7 May 1946 Palo Alto, California, U.S.
Bill Kreutzmann (born May 7, 1946 in Palo Alto, California) is an American
drummer who played with rock band the Grateful Dead for their entire thirty-year
career.
Kreutzmann started playing drums at the age of 13, despite having been told by
his sixth grade music teacher that he couldn't keep a beat. As a teenager, he
met Aldous Huxley at his high school, who encouraged him in his drumming. At the
end of 1964 he co-founded the band The Warlocks, along with Phil Lesh, Jerry
Garcia, Bob Weir, and Ron "Pigpen" McKernan. Their first real gig was May 5,
1965, two days before Kreutzmann's nineteenth birthday. In November 1965, the
Warlocks became the Grateful Dead. Meeting fellow percussionist Mickey Hart in
the fall of 1967 would have a big impact on Kreutzmann's career. Hart soon
joined the Dead, making it one of the first (and few) rock bands to feature two
drummers. The two percussionists' remarkable cohesion, synchronicity, and
driving power would be a hallmark of the Grateful Dead sound for the next thirty
years, earning them the nickname "The Rhythm Devils". Their ten-minute drum
duets, a feature of every show from 1978-1995 became legendary in the rock world.
Kreutzmann remained with the Grateful Dead until its dissolution following the
passing of Garcia in 1995, making him one of four members to play at every
single one of the band's 3,500 shows, along with Garcia, Weir and Lesh.
Following the end of the Grateful Dead, Kreutzmann returned to his home in
Hawaii but, by 2000 was back on the road with The Other Ones (Weir, Hart, Bruce
Hornsby, Steve Kimock, Mark Karan, and Alphonso Johnson). The Other Ones were so
successful that in 2003, the band began touring as The Dead (keeping "Grateful"
retired out of respect for Garcia). He participated in the super group at the 17th
Annual Warren Haynes Christmas Jam as a drummer SerialPod, which also includes
Phish members Trey Anastasio and Mike Gordon. At 60 years old, he has lost none
of his expertise and stamina, routinely playing three hours of drumming with
only one 45-minute break.
Kreutzmann also does work as a visual artist and, in 2001, began releasing
limited edition reproductions of his digital artwork. He has a daughter, Stacy,
and two grandchildren through her. He also has a son, Justin Kreutzmann, who is
a film and video director. He is married to Linda Kreutzmann and has two step
sons and a step daughter, Zachary Willis, who is working in the IT world, Andrew
Classen, who is studying graphic design, and Meera Willis, who owns a chain of
very popular shoe stores called MissMeers where Kreutzmann's art has often been
displayed.
Kreutzmann collaborated with Journey guitarist Neal Schon, Sy Klopps, Ira Walker,
and Ralph Woodson to form the Trichromes in 2002. They released an album,
Trichromes, and an EP, Dice with the Universe.
During 2006, Kreutzmann teamed up with fellow Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart,
former Phish bassist Mike Gordon and former The Other Ones lead guitarist Steve
Kimock to form the Rhythm Devils. The band features songs from their respective
former bands as well as new songs written by Jerry Garcia's songwriting
companion Robert Hunter. The Rhythm Devils announced their first tour in 2006
which ended at the popular Vegoose festival in Las Vegas, Nevada over the
Halloween weekend.
Kreutzmann and the Grateful Dead were honored with a life time achievement award
at the 2007 Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California.