11 AUG 2022 · Ron “Pigpen” McKernan’s lifelong devotion to drinking wasn’t the cause of his medical issues – chalk those up to a genetic disease. But no matter how he tried, Pig couldn’t kick the illness, he couldn’t repair the damage that had been done. He played music, followed his diet, and hoped against all hope that something would turn around. But nothing ever really did. He could never quite get up that hill. And just as Pig had slowly departed from the Dead, he was now slowly departing from the world. Sources: https://www.amazon.com/Long-Strange-Trip-History-Grateful/dp/0767911865/ https://www.amazon.com/Living-Dead-Twenty-Garcia-Grateful/dp/0815411634/ https://www.amazon.com/Searching-Sound-Life-Grateful-Dead/dp/0316154490/ https://www.amazon.com/Grateful-Dead-FAQ-Greatest-History/dp/1617130869/ https://www.amazon.com/This-All-Dream-We-Dreamed/dp/1250058562/ https://relix.com/articles/detail/death_dont_have_no_mercy_pigpen_ten_years_gone_relix_revisited/ (Relix) https://archive.org/details/pigpen-forever-the-life-and-times-of-ron-mc-kernan-blair-jackson/Pigpen%20Forever%20the%20Life%20and%20Times%20of%20Ron%20McKernan%20-%20Blair%20Jackson/page/n59/mode/1up?view=theater https://www.marinij.com/2013/03/15/lib-at-large-grateful-deads-bob-weir-and-phil-lesh-reflect-on-bandmate-pigpen/ (Marin Independent Journal) http://deadessays.blogspot.com/2011/04/pigpen-solo.html (Dead Essays) https://www.dead.net/features/greatest-stories-ever-told/greatest-stories-ever-told-stella-blue (Dead.net) https://triad-city-beat.com/unsolicited-endorsement-wake-of-the-flood-by-the-grateful-dead/ (Triad City Beat) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Df9-lp2QQE (YouTube) https://weareclassicrockers.com/article/so-many-roads-remembering-jerry-garcias-last-grateful-dead-show#:~:text=On%20July%209%2C%201995%2C%20Jerry,concert%20as%20the%20band's%20frontman (Classic Rockers) https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/jerry-garcia-grateful-dead-final-song-performed-box-of-rain/ (Far Out) https://www.salon.com/2015/12/06/it_was_the_tour_from_hell_inside_the_grateful_deads_last_shows_and_jerry_garcias_final_days/ (Salon) https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/bruce-hornsby-interview-jerry-garcia-grateful-dead-1038619/ (Rolling Stone) https://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2273/2064#:~:text=Concert%20tours%20were%20the%20primary,Lundquist%2C%201996%E2%80%932007 (First Monday) http://deadessays.blogspot.com/2011/04/pigpen-solo.html (Dead Essays) For behind the scenes info and news on this episode, follow: Instagram:http://www.instagram.com/doubleelvis https://www.instagram.com/disgracelandpod/ Twitter:http://wwww.twitter.com/doubleelvisfm https://twitter.com/disgracelandpod Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@disgracelandpod Pinterest:https://www.pinterest.com/doubleelvisfm/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/DoubleElvisProductions/ Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse and many more musical icons all died at the age of 27. Scandalous, tortured, dramatic, and incredibly talented, these artists torched a wild path to their early graves and shifted and shaped our culture along the way. 27 Club tells their stories. 27 Club is hosted and created by Jake Brennan, host and creator of the award-winning music and true crime podcast DISGRACELAND. 27 Club is not a journalistic podcast. It is an entertainment podcast inspired by true events. For more shows like 27 Club, check outhttp://www.doubleelvis.com See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.