Week of March 20, 2017
This week’s program features an interview with Ken Frankel, who was a member of the Hart Valley Drifters in 1962 when they did a live broadcast on KZSU, Stanford University. The band also included Jerry Garcia, Robert Hunter, David Nelson, and Norm Van Maastricht.
Ken Frankel has been a professional musician for 60 years, playing lead electric guitar in rock and country bands since high school, including the famous 1960's Boston psychedelic band Ill Wind. He has played banjo, guitar, mandolin, and fiddle in various acoustic bands, including performing bluegrass and old-time music with Jerry Garcia, David Nelson, Robert Hunter, Richard Greene, Rick Shubb, and Sandy Rothman.Frankel played classical mandolin, mandola, and mandocello with The Berkeley Mandolin Ensemble and other groups. He formed The Electric Guitar Quartet, which performed classical music on specially designed electric guitars. He also owned and ran the well-loved club The Cotati Cabaret in the 1980's, the music venue Studio 55 Marin until last year, and curated a music series at Freight & Salvage called Dr. K's Homegrown Roots Review. Ken continues to perform, and learn to play new instruments.
Enjoy!
Hart Valley Drifters, Folk Time (Round Records)
BAND INTROS
BILLY GRIMES, THE ROVER
ALL THE GOOD TIMES HAVE PAST AND GONE
FLINT HILL SPECIAL
The Grateful Dead (50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) (Rhino)
COLD RAIN AND SNOW
Grateful Dead, Shakedown Street
STAGGER LEE
Hart Valley Drifters, Folk Time (Round Records)
ROVING GAMBLER
GROUND SPEED
Every Wednesday, we post a program from the Grateful Dead Hour archives for your enjoyment and enlightenment. You can browse or search the playlists at gdhour.com or on the GD Hour Search page, and let me know what program(s) you'd like to hear by emailing me at gdhour@dead.net.
Thank you for listening!
- David Gans
Producer/host