Heart of Gold Band

The Heart of Gold Band is an American rock band formed by Keith and Donna Jean Godchaux in 1980 following their departure from the Grateful Dead.[1][2] The band took its name from a line in the Dead song "Scarlet Begonias".

Heart of Gold Band
OriginSan Francisco, California
GenresRock
Years active1980–81, 2004, 2016
LabelsHeart of Gold Records
Associated actsGrateful Dead, Donna Jean Godchaux Band, Zero, BoomBox, Fiddleworms
Websitewww.heartofgoldband.com
MembersDonna Jean Godchaux
Steve Kimock
Greg Anton
David MacKay
Mookie Siegel
Past membersKeith Godchaux
Dexter LaBlanc
Greta Rose
Zion Godchaux
Brian Godchaux
Kinsman MacKay
Mark Adler
Russ Randolf

Original Run

The Heart of Gold Band was formed in early 1980, shortly after Keith and Donna Godchaux had left the Grateful Dead in 1979. Other founding members of the group were guitarist Steve Kimock, drummer Greg Anton, bassist Dexter LaBlanc, and vocalist Greta Rose. Keith Godchaux was killed in a car accident on July 23, 1980, just a few days after the band's first gig. The band continued on for another year, adding keyboardist Mark Adler and replacing Dexter LaBlanc with Donna Godchaux's future husband, David MacKay, before disbanding.[3][4]

A self-titled CD was released in 1998, containing 13 tracks recorded by the original band, 11 of them prior to Keith Godchaux's death.

Reformation

The band was reformed in 2004 when Donna Godchaux and her husband, David MacKay, were looking to form a band. They originally intended to call the group "Godchaux MacKay", but drummer Greg Anton got involved and the group was named the Heart of Gold Band. Also involved in the reconfigured group are former keyboardist Mark Adler, percussionist Russ Randolf, Keith and Donna's son Zion Godchaux, Keith's brother Brian Godchaux, and Kinsman MacKay, the son of Donna and David MacKay. The reunited band released At The Table in 2004 on their own Heart of Gold Records.[5]

The group has largely been on hiatus since its reformation in 2004. For a while Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay performed with the Donna Jean Godchaux Band.

On August 1, 2016 in celebration of Jerry Garcia's birthday the band reunited for a performance at Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley, CA. Donna Jean Godchaux Mackay, Steve Kimock, Greg Anton, David Mackay, Mookie Siegel and Brian Godchaux were joined for several songs by Donna's former Grateful Dead bandmate, Bob Weir. A high fidelity multi-track recording of the entire concert was published in April 2017.[6][7]

Notes
  1. The Heart of Gold Band at AllMusic
  2. Heart of Gold Band / Ghosts Archived 2009-07-22 at the Wayback Machine at the Grateful Dead Family Discography
  3. Trager, Oliver (1997). The American Book of the Dead: The Definitive Grateful Dead Encyclopedia. Fireside. p. 1963. ISBN 0-684-81402-1.
  4. Budnick, Dean (1998). Jam Bands: North America's Hottest Live Groups. ECW Press. p. 270. ISBN 1-55022-353-4. heart of gold band.
  5. "The Heart of Gold Band" Archived 2009-07-22 at the Wayback Machine, by Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay, on the band's official website
  6. Reunion Concert w/ special guest Bob Weir, August 1, 2016. https://archive.org/details/hgb2016-08-01
  7. "Heart of Gold Band Reunion Concert feat Donna Jean Godchaux Mackay, Steve Kimock, Greg Anton, David Mackay & Mookie Siegel - Tickets - Sweetwater Music Hall - Mill Valley, CA - August 1st, 2016". Sweet Water Music Hall. Archived from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
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