Ron “Pigpen” McKernan moved to Palo Alto at age 14 and worked at Dana Morgan’s Music Store in downtown Palo Alto with Jerry Garcia. McKernan, Garcia and Bob Weir, started their musical careers together in the groups the Zodiacs and Mother McCree’s Uptown Jug Champions. When drummer Bill Kreutzmann joined the band evolved into the Warlocks. Around 1965, McKernan pushed the Warlocks to switch to electric instruments with bassist Phil Lesh joining soon after, and the group renamed themselves the Grateful Dead. At this point in the Dead’s history McKernan was considered the group’s original leader and best signer.
A week before he died at age 27 in Corte Madera he recorded the following lyrics on a tape cassette found in his home.
Don’t make me live in this pain
no longer
You know, I’m gettin’ weaker, not
stronger
My poor heart can’t stand no more
Just can’t keep from talkin’
If you gonna walk out that door,
start walkin’
I’ll get back somehow
Maybe not tomorrow, but someday
I know someday I’ll find someone
Who can ease my pain like you once donea‘Pigpen’ McKernan Dead at 27, Rolling Stone
Pigpen’s grave is in Alta Mesa Memorial Park in Palo Alto across from Gunn High School.
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