History of the Grateful Dead, Volume One (Bear's Choice)

History of the Grateful Dead, Volume One (Bear's Choice)
Live album by Grateful Dead
Released	July 13, 1973
Recorded	February 13–14, 1970
Genre	Rock, folk rock, country rock
Length	47:28
Label	Warner Bros. (1973) Rhino (2003)
Producer	Owsley Stanley
Grateful Dead chronology
Europe '72 (1972) History of the Grateful Dead, Volume One (Bear's Choice) (1973) Wake of the Flood (1973)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Rolling Stone	(mixed)

History of the Grateful Dead, Volume One (Bear's Choice) is the ninth album and the fourth live album by the Grateful Dead, released in July 1973 on Warner Bros. Records, catalogue BS 2721. It offers concert highlights from the band's performances of February 13 and 14, 1970 at the Fillmore East in New York City, and peaked at #60 on the Billboard 200.

Content

The album was compiled as a tribute of sorts to Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, the band's original keyboard player and blues aficionado, who died while the album was being prepared. The "Bear" of the title is Owsley Stanley, underground chemist turned Dead sound man. The original album was recorded and produced by Stanley, and fans often simply refer to the album as Bear's Choice. Side one consists of acoustic performances by McKernan, Jerry Garcia, and Bob Weir on country blues material, with one original from Workingman's Dead and a cover of one 1950s rock and roll number by the Everly Brothers. The second side features performances by the entire band backing McKernan on two repertoire items, "Smokestack Lightning" by Howlin' Wolf, and "Hard to Handle" by Otis Redding.

The album was originally intended to be a first in a series, but Volume Two never came to be as this was the band's last album on their record contract with Warner Bros. Records. Dick's Picks Volume 4 from the archive release series also chronicles these performances.

The album was remastered for compact disc in 2001 as part of The Golden Road (1965-1973) box set, and later released separately in 2003. Four bonus tracks were taken from the same shows, as well as shows from a week earlier at the Fillmore West in San Francisco. In keeping with the tribute nature of the original record, three tracks feature lead vocals by McKernan.

Track listing and personnel

Side one

1. "Katie Mae" (Lightnin' Hopkins) – 4:44
   • Ron McKernan – guitar, vocal
2. "Dark Hollow" (Bill Browning) – 3:52
3. "I've Been All Around This World" (traditional) – 4:18
4. "Wake Up Little Susie" (Felice and Boudleaux Bryant) – 2:31
5. "Black Peter" (Jerry Garcia, Robert Hunter) – 7:27
   • Tracks 2–5: Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir – guitars, vocals

Side two

6. "Smokestack Lightning" (Howlin' Wolf) – 17:59
7. "Hard to Handle" (Allen Jones, Al Bell, and Otis Redding) – 6:15

2001 reissue bonus tracks

8. "Good Lovin'" (Rudy Clark, Arthur Resnick) – 8:56
9. "Big Boss Man", (Al Smith, Luther Dixon) – 4:53
10. "Smokestack Lightning" (Burnett) – 15:11
11. "Sitting on Top of the World" (Lonnie Chatmon, Walter Vinson) – 3:20
    • Tracks 6–11: Garcia, Weir – electric guitars, vocals; McKernan – organ, harmonica, percussion, vocals; Phil Lesh – bass, vocals; Bill Kreutzmann, Mickey Hart – drums, percussion

Track production details

• "Katie Mae," "Wake Up Little Susie," "Black Peter," and "Smokestack Lightning" (album version) recorded on February 13, 1970 at the Fillmore East, New York.
• "Dark Hollow", "I've Been All Around This World" and "Hard to Handle" recorded on February 14, 1970 at the Fillmore East in New York City.
• "Big Boss Man" and and "Good Lovin'" (reissue version) recorded on February 5, 1970, at the Fillmore West, San Francisco.
• "Smokestack Lightning" (reissue version) and "Sitting on Top of the World" recorded on February 8, 1970, at the Fillmore West, San Francisco.

Personnel

• Jerry Garcia – acoustic guitar, lead guitar, vocals
• Bob Weir – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, vocals
• Ron "Pigpen" McKernan – acoustic guitar, organ, percussion, harmonica, vocals
• Phil Lesh – bass
• Mickey Hart – drums
• Bill Kreutzmann – drums

Reissue production personnel

• James Austin and David Lemieux – reissue producers
• Peter McQuaid – executive producer for Grateful Dead Productions
• Joe Gastwirt – mastering consultant

Charts

Album – Billboard

Year	Chart	Position
1973	Pop Albums	60

See also

• Grateful Dead
• Grateful Dead discography
• Owsley Stanley
• Dick's Picks Volume 4