Say hi to Jerry, Pig, Hunter and the keyboardists. RIP big guy. Google his story about whe he bought Larry Bird and the Celtics to A concert and to meet the band. It'll bring a smile on this sad Memorial Day.
What a great ambassador for the scene. Saw him on the webcast from the last D&C shows at Oracle Park and he looked pumped. Wonder if he got a Sphere show in?
I've assembled many Insta posts from other outlets / accounts about Bill into my stories circle, but I have a private account @cold_rain_and_snow ... friend me there if you'd like to see them... thought of changing my acct to public for today but don't want to do that, either.
Scotty Gillan, (PZ zoner Scotty G) is bass player and sings in the Garcia Birthday Band, in Portland, OR. Scotty posted this memory of Bill Walton today on Fb. Posted with permission, thanks, Scotty.
Typically, the band makes an effort not to schedule anything the weekend following our festival—we’re usually tired of playing (and of each other) and need a break. So when the Blazers called with vague details about something in a downtown park we initially declined. Until, that is, they let slip that it would be the anniversary of the 1977 championship with the tallest and most famous Deadhead in the world—Bill Walton—sitting in. We immediately changed our minds and accepted. How couldn’t we?
We reached out to San Diego’s Electric Waste Band, who Bill sat in with regularly for any insights. They kindly provided four “rules”:
1) Don’t mic his congas.
2) Don’t bother with a setlist beforehand—Bill will call the tunes as you go.
3) He doesn’t shake hands, so don’t.
4) Be sure to have lots of Dylan tunes ready as he will surely call any or all of them.
Duly noted.
The day came, and Bill recreated his famous bike rides to and from the Coliseum during ‘77, culminating this time with a dedication of the 2017 season’s throwback jersey and, ultimately, jamming in Chapman Park with us. The rest of the band were off getting burgers or something when Bill and the other cyclists arrived, and when I saw him roll up to the top of the terraced amphitheater the energy of the gathering crowd changed dramatically and I was hit with a tsunami of nerves: That is BILL WALTON right there! Here I am, a giddy goofball deadhead in my Blazers Steal your face tie dye shirt and I’m about to meet THE MAN!
Of course, he was much, much taller in person and in proximity than he was at a distance at shows. I don’t consider myself a short person, but when he fist bumped I noticed his knuckles were double the width of mine and he absolutely towered over me. However, my nerves faded when he spoke to me with his trademark enthusiasm and joy. Introduction complete, he then made a simple request as we stood in the center of the stage.
“Scotty, first thing: tell me all off the band members’ names and their instrument in relation to their spots here.”
I complied, just once, as I was still the only one there just hanging out, chatting with Bill. Bill Walton, man! Me!
“What’s on the setlist,” he asked.
“Well, Bill, we figured we’d start with ‘Truckin’, and…”
“No, Scotty,” he said with a firm but encouraging tone. I’m certain he’d had this same conversation with many other musicians before me. “We’re going to start with a nice spacey jam, nothing too heavy. We’ll go into ‘The Wheel’ and then we’ll get to Truckin’. Maybe ‘Not Fade Away’ or some Dylan after that. Sound good?”
“Sounds great, Bill! Anything you want, man! This is your show.”
Now, I’ve got a pretty good memory for details and things. It’s by no means photographic but I can recall entire conversations from elementary school. I’m pretty good with names from album liner notes, trivia and such. Names of people I meet personally are trickier: it takes me a couple mental laps to get them down. But Bill was clearly operating at a level far beyond mine, and must have had a fantastic beyond photographic memory, whatever that is. Once the rest of the band arrived, Bill introduced himself to all of them using their first names with all of his legendary warmth and charm, as though he’d studied all their stats and backstories. It was one of the most incredibly endearing things I’ve ever seen. Of course, I’d seen and heard him do this during one of his infamous game time rants with Dylan and Dead minutiae references so rapid and dense the station gave him a screen crawl to assist non-Head neophytes (most viewers, probably) to follow his impromptu lecture in real time. But seeing him do it in person was entirely different. I remember thinking: they broke the mold with this guy. Wow.
The gig itself went by in a blur. I’m glad there are videos as I don’t recall much of it. Occasionally, I’d turn around and make eye contact with Bill, towering over all of us smiling away to remind myself it was really happening. As he and his wife got into the van to catch his flight home, he reached out to fist bump me over the crowd asking for autographs and attempting to hand him pins (which he politely declined).
“Thanks so much, Scotty. You guys bring it,” he said.
“No, no…thank YOU, Bill,” I said, “For everything. Sorry we didn’t get to any Dylan songs.”
He laughed that big joyful laugh again, then the door slid shut and he was gone.
Hey Dave, I'm always curious when people call Bill Graham Uncle Bobo, why, knowing that he really disliked it? After all these years of wondering why people do that, you're the first person I'm asking… tia
A massive loss. Brutal. Just an amazing human; Kareem hit the nail on the fucking head:
"He was the best of us."........He really was.
It makes me remember what Kesey said when Jerry died....If we don't keep carrying the torches,
this guy's going to kick our asses....
I was thankful to have run into him and talked with him many times at shows...
I first saw him at the sound board at Red Rocks in 1987.....I was thinking "This lucky bastard gets to go to any Dead show he wants and is treated like royalty!"
He was a serious Dylan freak; for a while there I saw him at almost every show I went to, whether it was in the
Bay Area or Southern California....
The funniest was in Temecula in 2008 in the middle of nowhere at a casino. Dylan was playing the 1,200 seat theater there,
the smallest show he'd played in California (and almost anywhere) in a long time. Bill was there with his wife Lori; she was with him almost
every time I saw him.
After the show me and a couple friends were hanging out by the entrance of the theater after the show and they came out.
We started talking with them and my friend says, You know our buddy "John" from San Diego....
He goes Cool, you guys know him? He's a great guy! He introduced us to his wife and we talked about the current Dylan tour, the show that night,
and the next show in 2 days at the SD Chargers practice field....He then cracked us up by saying "Yeah, there was a guy behind me tonight complaining that I
was too tall. I said 'You want to complain to someone, talk to my mom!!" Hahahaha.
We hung out for about 20 minutes and he goes, "Ok guys gotta go, see you in San Diego at the show!"
Every time I saw him after that he was beyond nice....but he was seemingly always like that!
What a loss of an intense positive force for the Universe....
The columnist who wrote the article was at a benefit event in Mill Valley on Monday that was basically a Terrapin Crossroads event because of who was benefiting, and she uses that as the focus of her tribute.
It's kind of a perfect correlation for a Walton tribute and is worth reading.
and why has espn buried all of the great clips of Walton's great game time interweaving of dead lyrics and folklore into a nba broadcast, free the tapes, damn-it
AND Kareem is the greatest player to ever lace them up, period
I Sat Right Next To Bill and his wife at the Santa Barbara Bowl a Few Years Back for a Show he was easy to talk with Super Nice Guy ! Hi Fives all around ! RIP Bill
it would be nice if the NBA sold these and donated the proceeds to the Rex Foundation, instead of the scum trying to capitalize on someone's death below
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Stony
The Luckiest Man alive, RIP!
The Luckiest Man alive, RIP!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: treat island
Sad, indeed. Painful.
Sad, indeed. Painful.
Fuck cancer!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: _________
WHAT A Guy ! RIP Bill.... The
WHAT A Guy ! RIP Bill.... The Grateful Dead Forever.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Tim
Will be missed RIP big guy
Will be missed
RIP big guy
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Roarshock
Tallest Dead Head ever.
Tallest Dead Head ever. Shocking news, RIP.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Sun so hot, clouds so low
Rest In Peace
Rest In Peace
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Mice elf
Aw man
Aw man
he was a really great ambassador for this music
i heard he knew how to play some hoops too
we love you bill
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: cultivate kindness
This is one of those passings
This is one of those passings that hits really hard coming as it did from out of the blue.
RIP Bill.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Zzzzzz
RIP Bill
RIP Bill
He's up there watching "Kobe with the west LA Fadeway"
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Strangha
An inspiring life. Always
An inspiring life. Always having a good time.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lord Kalvert
oh no
oh no
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: billionyearoldcarbon
Ah man, cancer sucks so bad.
Ah man, cancer sucks so bad. Bill you made my life better by just being here, thank you. RIP
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Ken D.
RIP. You couldn't miss him
RIP. You couldn't miss him at shows but would suck to be standing right behind him. Big loss for the Grateful Dead family for sure.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: MeditateontheQ
Rest in power Big Bill.
Rest in power Big Bill.
A sad day for Portland and all Oregonians, such an icon here.
I was honored to meet him and his wife Lori... and danced with them for most of the show, at BGCC for Phil's 70th in 2010.
Here's a pic I shot in 2015...
.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Bob
Say hi to Jerry, Pig, Hunter
Say hi to Jerry, Pig, Hunter and the keyboardists. RIP big guy. Google his story about whe he bought Larry Bird and the Celtics to A concert and to meet the band. It'll bring a smile on this sad Memorial Day.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Andy
So long BILL. Tallest
So long BILL. Tallest deadhead I ever saw at concerts. Jam in the sky.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: cultivate kindness
> his story about whe he
> his story about whe he bought Larry Bird and the Celtics to A concert and to meet the band.
November 5, 1985. It was Walton's birthday, and we sang happy birthday to him before the band launched into a fat Shakedown.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yL0l4P7majs (archive.org is down today)
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: GoneGoodbye
Saw him on the webcast from
What a great ambassador for the scene. Saw him on the webcast from the last D&C shows at Oracle Park and he looked pumped. Wonder if he got a Sphere show in?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: treat island
So young! Arghh.
So young! Arghh.
I loved seeing Bill and John Wooden together.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Strangha
Best of Bill Walton ? Video.
Best of Bill Walton ? Video. https://twitter.com/NBA_ATLAS/status/1795143821988176208
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: JP (J Bomb)
Man, this is high on the
Man, this is high on the bummer scale.
What a player, What a life. What a guy.
A true one of kind.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Ice Blue Rose
We lost another great one.
We lost another great one.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Mice elf
https://archive.org/details
https://archive.org/details/gd77-09-03.sbd.unk.276.sbefixed.shnf/gd77-09...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Druba
RIP Bill
RIP Bill
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: MeditateontheQ
I've assembled many Insta
I've assembled many Insta posts from other outlets / accounts about Bill into my stories circle, but I have a private account @cold_rain_and_snow ... friend me there if you'd like to see them... thought of changing my acct to public for today but don't want to do that, either.
What a bummer.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: DNB - Best band & fans in the land!
he was an ambassador of
he was an ambassador of positivity in the scene 'til the end
RIP Bill... you are greatly loved and sorely missed
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lance minimum goad Newberry
This is HOOOOOOORIBLE news.
This is HOOOOOOORIBLE news.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: treat island
Scotty Gillan, (PZ zoner
Scotty Gillan, (PZ zoner Scotty G) is bass player and sings in the Garcia Birthday Band, in Portland, OR. Scotty posted this memory of Bill Walton today on Fb. Posted with permission, thanks, Scotty.
Typically, the band makes an effort not to schedule anything the weekend following our festival—we’re usually tired of playing (and of each other) and need a break. So when the Blazers called with vague details about something in a downtown park we initially declined. Until, that is, they let slip that it would be the anniversary of the 1977 championship with the tallest and most famous Deadhead in the world—Bill Walton—sitting in. We immediately changed our minds and accepted. How couldn’t we?
We reached out to San Diego’s Electric Waste Band, who Bill sat in with regularly for any insights. They kindly provided four “rules”:
1) Don’t mic his congas.
2) Don’t bother with a setlist beforehand—Bill will call the tunes as you go.
3) He doesn’t shake hands, so don’t.
4) Be sure to have lots of Dylan tunes ready as he will surely call any or all of them.
Duly noted.
The day came, and Bill recreated his famous bike rides to and from the Coliseum during ‘77, culminating this time with a dedication of the 2017 season’s throwback jersey and, ultimately, jamming in Chapman Park with us. The rest of the band were off getting burgers or something when Bill and the other cyclists arrived, and when I saw him roll up to the top of the terraced amphitheater the energy of the gathering crowd changed dramatically and I was hit with a tsunami of nerves: That is BILL WALTON right there! Here I am, a giddy goofball deadhead in my Blazers Steal your face tie dye shirt and I’m about to meet THE MAN!
Of course, he was much, much taller in person and in proximity than he was at a distance at shows. I don’t consider myself a short person, but when he fist bumped I noticed his knuckles were double the width of mine and he absolutely towered over me. However, my nerves faded when he spoke to me with his trademark enthusiasm and joy. Introduction complete, he then made a simple request as we stood in the center of the stage.
“Scotty, first thing: tell me all off the band members’ names and their instrument in relation to their spots here.”
I complied, just once, as I was still the only one there just hanging out, chatting with Bill. Bill Walton, man! Me!
“What’s on the setlist,” he asked.
“Well, Bill, we figured we’d start with ‘Truckin’, and…”
“No, Scotty,” he said with a firm but encouraging tone. I’m certain he’d had this same conversation with many other musicians before me. “We’re going to start with a nice spacey jam, nothing too heavy. We’ll go into ‘The Wheel’ and then we’ll get to Truckin’. Maybe ‘Not Fade Away’ or some Dylan after that. Sound good?”
“Sounds great, Bill! Anything you want, man! This is your show.”
Now, I’ve got a pretty good memory for details and things. It’s by no means photographic but I can recall entire conversations from elementary school. I’m pretty good with names from album liner notes, trivia and such. Names of people I meet personally are trickier: it takes me a couple mental laps to get them down. But Bill was clearly operating at a level far beyond mine, and must have had a fantastic beyond photographic memory, whatever that is. Once the rest of the band arrived, Bill introduced himself to all of them using their first names with all of his legendary warmth and charm, as though he’d studied all their stats and backstories. It was one of the most incredibly endearing things I’ve ever seen. Of course, I’d seen and heard him do this during one of his infamous game time rants with Dylan and Dead minutiae references so rapid and dense the station gave him a screen crawl to assist non-Head neophytes (most viewers, probably) to follow his impromptu lecture in real time. But seeing him do it in person was entirely different. I remember thinking: they broke the mold with this guy. Wow.
The gig itself went by in a blur. I’m glad there are videos as I don’t recall much of it. Occasionally, I’d turn around and make eye contact with Bill, towering over all of us smiling away to remind myself it was really happening. As he and his wife got into the van to catch his flight home, he reached out to fist bump me over the crowd asking for autographs and attempting to hand him pins (which he politely declined).
“Thanks so much, Scotty. You guys bring it,” he said.
“No, no…thank YOU, Bill,” I said, “For everything. Sorry we didn’t get to any Dylan songs.”
He laughed that big joyful laugh again, then the door slid shut and he was gone.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: jazfish
Aww man this sucks.
Aww man this sucks.
Rest in Peace, Bill.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: An organ grinder’s tune
THROW IT DOWN BIG MAN!
THROW IT DOWN BIG MAN!
RIP
his wife is a complete sweetheart as well. condolences to the Waltons.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: MeditateontheQ
^^^ Lori is the sweetest! I
^^^ Lori is the sweetest! I sent her condolences today... we are Instagram friends.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: dimethyllovebeam
Everyone loved him so, he had
Everyone loved him so, he had a beautiful smile...
In concert pics, Bill's smile said it all. What an interesting guy he was and the life he had.
(((((((((( Bill's Family ))))))))))
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Def. High
RIP Bill.
RIP Bill.
He was in front of me on more than one occasion. He was very friendly and we shared some smoke.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Philzone Refugee
(No subject)
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lance minimum goad Newberry
He was the best of us.
He was the best of us.
I guess we're all that in our own way, but big Bill definitely made his mark, certainly within the Grateful Dead world, but also outside of that.
He lived quite a life.
We should all be so lucky.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: MeditateontheQ
If anyone can find a radio
If anyone can find a radio program called 750 The Game w/ Dan Patrick, they are telling great Bill stories this morn.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: frenchiethetickler
https://www.youtube.com/watch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKc3AI3d3gg
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: treat island
Thanks, LLOLLO and Astro.
Thanks, LLOLLO and Astro.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: cultivate kindness
It's from 12 years ago, but
It's from 12 years ago, but Sports Illustrated has some awesome pics of Walton from the early 70s.
https://www.si.com/nba/2012/11/09/09never-before-seen-bill-walton-photos
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: treat island
Awesome, indeed. Thanks, Mike
Awesome, indeed. Thanks, Mike.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Philzone Refugee
Has to be in the conversation
Has to be in the conversation for GDOAT.
Kesey, MG, Owsley, Uncle Bobo
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: treat island
Hey Dave, I'm always curious
Hey Dave, I'm always curious when people call Bill Graham Uncle Bobo, why, knowing that he really disliked it? After all these years of wondering why people do that, you're the first person I'm asking… tia
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: gypsy tailwind
^ terms of endearment
^ terms of endearment
the gd way
rip big guy
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Localcountyline
A massive loss. Brutal. Just
A massive loss. Brutal. Just an amazing human; Kareem hit the nail on the fucking head:
"He was the best of us."........He really was.
It makes me remember what Kesey said when Jerry died....If we don't keep carrying the torches,
this guy's going to kick our asses....
I was thankful to have run into him and talked with him many times at shows...
I first saw him at the sound board at Red Rocks in 1987.....I was thinking "This lucky bastard gets to go to any Dead show he wants and is treated like royalty!"
He was a serious Dylan freak; for a while there I saw him at almost every show I went to, whether it was in the
Bay Area or Southern California....
The funniest was in Temecula in 2008 in the middle of nowhere at a casino. Dylan was playing the 1,200 seat theater there,
the smallest show he'd played in California (and almost anywhere) in a long time. Bill was there with his wife Lori; she was with him almost
every time I saw him.
After the show me and a couple friends were hanging out by the entrance of the theater after the show and they came out.
We started talking with them and my friend says, You know our buddy "John" from San Diego....
He goes Cool, you guys know him? He's a great guy! He introduced us to his wife and we talked about the current Dylan tour, the show that night,
and the next show in 2 days at the SD Chargers practice field....He then cracked us up by saying "Yeah, there was a guy behind me tonight complaining that I
was too tall. I said 'You want to complain to someone, talk to my mom!!" Hahahaha.
We hung out for about 20 minutes and he goes, "Ok guys gotta go, see you in San Diego at the show!"
Every time I saw him after that he was beyond nice....but he was seemingly always like that!
What a loss of an intense positive force for the Universe....
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: gypsy tailwind
last time we had a moment was
last time we had a moment was 2013
bill took my son's hat off and positioned him proper while he held it
he's now 24
my daughter now 30
thanks for the memories
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lance minimum goad Newberry
A nice article in the San
A nice article in the San Francisco Chronicle today about Walton. I don't know if folks can read it, but here it is...
https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/annkillion/article/bill-walton-leaves...
The columnist who wrote the article was at a benefit event in Mill Valley on Monday that was basically a Terrapin Crossroads event because of who was benefiting, and she uses that as the focus of her tribute.
It's kind of a perfect correlation for a Walton tribute and is worth reading.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: skyjunk
What a picture of him and
What a picture of him and Kareem, awesome.
and why has espn buried all of the great clips of Walton's great game time interweaving of dead lyrics and folklore into a nba broadcast, free the tapes, damn-it
AND Kareem is the greatest player to ever lace them up, period
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: jazfish
Kareem 's beautiful
Kareem 's beautiful respectful tribute to Bill.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rp7ntz0uQYA
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: _________
I Sat Right Next To Bill and
I Sat Right Next To Bill and his wife at the Santa Barbara Bowl a Few Years Back for a Show he was easy to talk with Super Nice Guy ! Hi Fives all around ! RIP Bill
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Druba
This is pretty cool, The GD
This is pretty cool, The GD on Bill Walton;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXznln7_7Vs
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: JP (J Bomb)
Celts were heavy favorites in
Celts were heavy favorites in this series but now with the red headed cosmic power of Bill's eternal spirit behind them, it's all but guaranteed.
Bill telling the story of when he invited the team out to the Centrum, was one of his best tales. Beyond great.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: skyjunk
Go Celts!
Go Celts!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: skyjunk
it would be nice if the NBA
it would be nice if the NBA sold these and donated the proceeds to the Rex Foundation, instead of the scum trying to capitalize on someone's death below
https://eletees.com/product/celtics-bill-walton-warmup-shirt/
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: skyjunk
https://youtu.be/iaareSMhrV4
https://youtu.be/iaareSMhrV4?si=68eXN-ypJfDp3pkQ
another Great Walton story