Album of the Day

Hot on the heels of the incredible success of WORKINGMAN'S DEAD in the summer of 1970, the Grateful Dead returned in the fall with the equally stunning AMERICAN BEAUTY. Recorded at Wally Heider Studios in San Francisco with producer Stephen Quinn Barncard, the collection features some of the band's most iconic songs, including “Friend Of The Devil,” “Sugar Magnolia,” “Truckin’” and “Ripple.” Singer/guitarist Jerry Garcia is in particularly fine form here, his pedal steel playing and ingratiating vocals fit these folk- and country-influenced songs like a well-worn glove, and the rest of the group rises to the occasion with him. Today we’ll wish percussionist Mickey Hart a happy birthday with another spin of AMERICAN BEAUTY.