After selling out a series of upcoming shows, rumors are circulating that iconic rock band The Grateful Dead may be extending their Fare Thee Well tour and bringing a new musician into the mix for an Autumn leg. It has been alleged that the “Core Four” remaining members, comprised of Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart, and Bill Kreutzmann, are in talks with singer and guitarist John Mayer in regards to joining the band for an extended set of performances kicking off in October.
It has been speculated that John Mayer is already participating in some rehearsals with the band, especially with Weir. Although sources have stated that the claims are “premature,” many fans speculate that Mayer would be filling in and playing parts that were originally played by Jerry Garcia, the band’s star guitarist who passed away in 1995.
The Fare Thee Well shows will take place on June 27 and 28 in Santa Clara, California and between July 4 and 6 in Chicago, Illinois. The shows sold out rapidly, and it has been estimated that the band may have netted more than $50 million in ticket sales. It is expected that Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio, keyboardist Jeff Chimenti, and pianist Bruce Hornsby will be joining the band for the string of performances.
The shows are in honor of the band’s 20th anniversary of their final performances with Garcia, and fan response has been huge. Fans are so excited to see the band in their glory that a petition with more than 11,000 signatures circulated, requesting that fans be allowed to camp out overnight at the venue before their show. Although the request was denied, it shows the fervor and energy that the performance announcement has incited amongst the band’s Dead Heads (their biggest fan following).
John Mayer has been relatively quiet in the media in recent years. The musician released his last album, Paradise Valley, in 2013. The album hit the number 2 position on the Billboard 200 Albums chart and featured collaborations with Katy Perry and Frank Ocean. It has also been alleged that his song “Paper Doll” was written in response to Taylor Swift, an ex-lover who is well known for writing songs about her famous lovers. In 2015 the musician made a cameo alongside Kevin Hart and Will Ferrell in the duo’s comedic Get Hard. This would be his first big musical venture in quite some time, though we’ll have to wait and see if the rumors are true.
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