Grateful Dead to be honored at MusiCares' annual Grammy gala

To celebrate the legendary band's 60th anniversary, The Grateful Dead will be honored as the 2025 MusiCares Persons of the Year at the organization's fundraising gala during Grammy week.

Original members Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh and Bobby Weir are recognized for their immense contributions to music, their philanthropic efforts and their pioneering roles in uplifting communities through their concerts and activism. The special evening will also include posthumous tributes to Jerry Garcia, one of the band's founders. The 34th Annual Persons of the Year Benefit Gala will take place on Friday, January 31 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, two nights before the 67th Annual Grammy Awards.

“MusiCares is proud to honor the Grateful Dead at the 2025 Persons of the Year Gala,” said Laura Segura, executive director of MusiCares. “Their legacy extends beyond music and has built a community of fans and collaborators that embodies the spirit of connection and support, something that is closely tied to the mission of MusiCares.” The band’s passion for the arts and philanthropy, as well as theirs sustained commitment to social causes have left a lasting impression that extends beyond the stage. It is a privilege to celebrate their contributions to music and humanity.”

Formed in 1965, The Grateful Dead are one of the most influential bands in American history, known for their distinctive blend of rock, folk, jazz and avant-garde music.

In 2007 the band was awarded the Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing her unparalleled contributions to the music industry. The band's members have also made significant contributions to charitable causes. Garcia, Hart, Kreutzmann, Lesh and Weir have all supported efforts ranging from environmental protection and mental health to music education and social justice.

Initiatives like Garcia's involvement with the Rex Foundation, Hart's work in music therapy and brain health, Weir's commitment to combating climate change and poverty alleviation, Kreutzmann's efforts to protect the oceans, and Lesh's Unbroken Chain Foundation underscore the band's commitment to making a difference beyond the stage effect.

“It's very simple: we all need music. It speaks to each of us and offers what we need to meet life's challenges – it increases our joys, helps us spread them, and makes our worries easier to bear. We cannot imagine a world without them. As our old buddy Jerry always said, “Whoever gets something gives something back,” an extremely effective way to share those benefits,” band members Hart, Kreutzmann, Lesh and Weir said in a statement.

“While we can't prove that the muse – the force behind what we do – is working to build a support system for the show, over sixty years of music experience has taught us that it takes a lot of dedicated people to make it all happen to awaken. Each person behind the scenes has honed their skills to meet the many demands of the show. Without them it wouldn't be what the Muse intended, and each of them is essential and puts their heart and mind into it.

“We would also like to thank the Dead Heads community for their unwavering support over the years – we wouldn’t be here without you.

“We are deeply honored to be recognized as MusiCares Persons of the Year. This honor is truly a testament to the legacy of music that has always been bigger than us – it's about the connection between us, the crew and everyone who has been along on this long, strange journey. It's not just about what we create, it's about making sure that the people behind it, the people behind us every night, the people who quietly make it all happen, have the support they need to keep going, no matter what life throws at them. We are grateful to stand with MusiCares and hope everyone continues to support this important mission to ensure music thrives in perpetuity.”

MusiCares is the nonprofit arm of the Recording Academy that provides millions of dollars in health, financial and rehabilitation resources to music creators in times of need.

Since its inception in 1991, the Person of the Year Gala has raised funds to support MusiCares' health and human services programs, which provide music professionals with physical and mental health care, addiction recovery, prevention clinics, unforeseen personal emergencies and disaster relief. “The Grateful Dead” joins an impressive list of recent MusiCares honorees, including Jon Bon Jovi, Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson, and Joni Mitchell.