An American Beauty: Grateful Dead 1965–1995

Description:

Published to mark the band’s 60th anniversary, An American Beauty is a sweeping visual history of the Grateful Dead. It traces the band from its roots in San Francisco’s 1960s counterculture through three decades of touring, music-making and community. Curated and edited by renowned rock photographer Jay Blakesberg with his daughter, Ricki Blakesberg, the book gathers 275 images by more than 30 photographers. It includes iconic stage shots, candid backstage moments and portraits of the devoted fans who followed the music from city to city. Many of the photographs appear in print for the first time.

The book accompanies the 2025 exhibition of the same name at David Kordansky Gallery in Los Angeles. It includes an essay by Stuart Krimko and an afterword by Jay Blakesberg, in a beautifully designed hardcover that belongs on any coffee table. It’s a gift for longtime Deadheads and new listeners alike.

Details

• Hardcover, 280 pages
• 275 photographs
• Edited and curated by Jay Blakesberg and Ricki Blakesberg
• Essay by Stuart Krimko; afterword by Jay Blakesberg
• Designed by Hudson Shively
• Published by David Kordansky Gallery, on the occasion of the 2025 exhibition