DEADHEADS and CHRISTIANS: Spreading Ripples of Kindness across our Planet Earth...
- Thomas Tittmann
- May 16
- 10 min read
Updated: May 17
"PAPER" BOOK REPORT
To give Tom Coogan's work "some room to move", I separated it from the larger post (link at end) about the Half Step gig at Garden City's Cathedral of the Incarnation...added some fitting musical accompaniment and included some examples of how the Deadhead spirit is being kept alive for the newer generations....
What I liked most about the conversation between author Tom and Kyle Sabo from the Cathedral is that neither tried to convince us of their "side"...rather, they simply provided what Tom had hoped for: a place where we could have a meaningful conversation...
BOOK'S PURPOSE: In penning this, Tom's desire is to invite those who follow a Christian version of "G-d" to get to know a little more about the characteristics of those who follow the Grateful Dead and their offshoots. He believes that they will notice similarities in how they treat other travelers on our planet.
BOOK SUMMARY: A peace-and-love movement that began with itinerants living hand to mouth at the fringes of society and referring to one another as brother and sister continues to flourish decades after the death of its leader. This book explores the ways in which that description applies equally well to the early days of the Jesus movement, as recorded in Scripture, and to the current stage of the Deadhead movement, which, with the recent successful tours by Dead and Company, is as robust as ever, thirty years after the last concert by the Grateful Dead. This book is about the common attributes of Deadheads; it is not about the music they love nor the band that created that music.
Its purpose is to invite people of faith to judge whether something of the same divine Spirit that animated the early Church is at work today among the Deadheads. Source
A long strange trip from early Christianity to the Grateful Dead's Haight-Ashbury days
Two evenings after Saturday night's Half Step event, a bunch of us went back to the Cathedral to meet Tom Coogan - the author of this comparative history book. Tom and his wife Beth also participated in Saturday's show.
Here's a HALF STEP Facebook post promoting Tom's appearance:
One reader's observations on the book:
"(RNS) — Both Christians and Deadheads were a ragtag group of communal devotees, preaching a simple message of love and peace and challenging the materialism of the powers and principalities of their respective eras." (Source: next link)
Another perspective:
"Most Christians have a muddled view of what a fan of the Grateful Dead is, and most Deadheads have an equally muddled view of Christians." (Source: next link)
One more:
"The words 'Deadhead' and 'Christian' aren’t often spoken in the same sentence, if only because the former doesn’t seem to have much to do with the latter. But upon deeper inspection, there may be more overlap than one might think.
The eclectic 1960s rock band The Grateful Dead, has no shortage of spiritual ideas that have turned its 'Deadhead' followers into a traveling movement, bonded by shared ideals and a strong community. Even in the decade since the band’s surviving original members performed their last concerts in the 2015 Fare Thee Well tour, the movement remains active and strong through the internet.
This spiritual aspect of the band is the subject of a new book by Thomas A. Coogan. A 63-year-old member of Nassau Presbyterian Church in Princeton, N.J., Coogan has been a Grateful Dead fan since the 1970s. His book, Deadheads and Christians: You Will Know Them By Their Love, explores the spiritual intersection between Christianity and the “peace and love” vibes of the band.
The Grateful Dead certainly wouldn’t have considered themselves a religious band, especially in the context of what organized religion often means in the popular American context. However, Coogan points out that they did consider themselves spiritual, grasping for a deeper and higher meaning that is more than mere entertainment.
"'To me, it means welcoming the stranger, seeing the divine in everybody you encounter, finding commonality with anybody you encounter,' Coogan said. 'The common attitude is a hopeful and optimistic attitude in the face of our mortality. Their imagery and songs are largely about how this time in our world is short and what are you going to make of it. That can lead to cynical hedonistic attitudes, but in our community it’s a peace and love attitude. Christians ought to be able to extend a friendly greeting to anybody they encounter.'"
Kindness Pre-School
Includes our "Ripple"
Grateful Dead are not over the Hill...they're ON IT!
Tom included these two stories in his "Introduction"...
(from the link) They truly were an amazing American Adventure for over five decades their unique blend of rock folk and improvisation transcended boundaries inspiring countless artists and enchanting millions of dedicated fans in a world often divided the Grateful Dead reminds us that music has the power to bridge divides and bring people together
Their music served as a Beacon of Hope an escape and a testament to the power of artistic expression through their music The Grateful Dead taught us the value of community compassion and the beauty of living in the moment as we celebrate the Grateful Dead we also pay tribute to the late Jerry Garcia and all the band members who graced the stage with their exceptional talents
Let's also acknowledge the unwavering dedication of the deadheads the devoted fans who traveled far and wide to be part of the Grateful Dead experience their unwavering support and their enthusiasm nurtured a unique bond between the band and its audience
Jerry on Jerry: "I like people who like the Grateful Dead!"
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell admits to being a fan of the Grateful Dead during his semiannual monetary policy report to the House Financial Services Committee on June 21.
AUDIO BOOK REPORT
"Ripple"
Lyrics By:
Robert Hunter
Music By:
Jerry Garcia
If my words did glow with the gold of sunshine
And my tunes were played on the harp unstrung
Would you hear my voice come through the music?
Would you hold it near as it were your own?
It's a hand-me-down, the thoughts are broken
Perhaps they're better left unsung
I don't know, don't really care
Let there be songs to fill the air
Ripple in still water
When there is no pebble tossed
Nor wind to blow
Reach out your hand if your cup be empty
If your cup is full may it be again
Let it be known there is a fountain
That was not made by the hands of men
There is a road, no simple highway
Between the dawn and the dark of night
And if you go no one may follow
That path is for your steps alone
Ripple in still water
When there is no pebble tossed
Nor wind to blow
You, who choose to lead, must follow
But if you fall you fall alone
If you should stand then who's to guide you?
If I knew the way I would take you home
La dee da da da
La da da da da
Da da da, da da, da da da da da
La da da da
La da da, da da
La da da da
La da, da da
Musical Accompaniment to Tom Coogan's Presentation
Half Step's Tom San Filippo returned to Monday evening's presentation and offered us this sacred Grateful Dead hymn: RIPPLE
Complete song at next link.
by Michael Windischmann ·
Tom playing solo at The Cathedral of Incarnation, Garden city. Book review of Deadheads and Christians!!! Fun night in the Church…
BONUS: Tom San Filippo - solo acoustic
Found while researching:
Will the Deadheads...the movement continue? A question that's part of Tom Coogan's inquiries...
I've selected some young musicians who are carrying the Grateful Dead's music "FURTHUR"...SO, let's get on the bus...
BARTON HILLS CHOIR
The BHC performing the Grateful Dead's 'Ripple' in front of Wrigley Field at Gallagher Way Chicago for The Rock and Roll Playhouse's Grateful Dead Father's Day celebration. June 15th, 2019. With special guests David Gans (guitar/vox), Adam Roberts (bass) and Michael Schroeder (drums). Written by Garcia/Hunter
Classic tee!!!
PLAYING FOR CHANGE: CHICAGO CHILDREN'S CHOIR
We are proud to share with you this Song Around The World in honor of the Grateful Dead's 50th anniversary. Our friends at JamBase asked us to turn the Grateful Dead's 1970 classic, "Ripple" into a PFC Song Around the world as part of their "Songs Of Their Own" series (http://www.jambase.com/soto.aspx) and after many miles on planes, trains and automobiles we can finally share it with all of you!! "Ripple" is in support of the Playing For Change Foundation's music schools and programs for children worldwide and we need your help. Watch the video and then let’s turn that inspiration we all share into something bigger. Join the "Ripple Effect" campaign so we can all leave the world better than we found it, one heart and one song at a time. As Jerry Garcia said, "Let there be songs to fill the air..." Special Thanks to our Supporters: The Jerry Garcia Foundation (http://www.jerrygarciafoundation.org/), The Ripple Foundation, SeaChange (http://www.schange.com), Michael Klein and Judi Hunt.
Including some "family" members...and musical friends...
GRATEFUL DEAD FOR KIDS @ BROOKLYN BOWL June 21, 2026
As they're singing "wake up to discover that you are the eyes of the world..."
FYI - Half Step does shows here:
Ripple at The Sphere
The next visual fits in with the main post's tales of Gaia and Half Step at the Cathedral of the Incarnation.
Dead and Company: Bob Weir, guitar and vocals Mickey Hart, drums John Mayer, guitar and vocals Oteil Burbridge, bass and vocals Jeff Chimenti, keyboards and vocals Jay Lane, drums
Sphere at the Venetian Resort Las Vegas, NV 08/10/24
Playing for Change
JOIN THE MOVEMENT Subscribe to our newsletter: http://bit.ly/1x9CAfJ Join us as a YouTube Member here: / @playingforchange
GET SOCIAL / playingforchange / playing4change / playing4change Playing For Change (PFC) is a movement created to inspire and connect the world through music, born from the shared belief that music has the power to break down boundaries and overcome distances between people. The primary focus of PFC is to record and film musicians performing in their natural environments and combine their talents and cultural power in innovative videos called Songs Around The World. Creating these videos motivated PFC to form the Playing For Change Band—a tangible, traveling representation of its mission, featuring musicians met along their journey; and establish the Playing For Change Foundation—a separate 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to building music and art schools for children around the world. Through these efforts, Playing For Change aims to create hope and inspiration for the future of our planet. To learn more about the work of the PFC Foundation, visit http://www.playingforchange.org
Go out into the world and...
Spotted this a few nights ago when Eileen and I went to a teacher/staff cabaret night at the East Woods School in Oyster Bay where our son John was accompanying the performers on piano.
Here's one that echoes one of Tom's key points about similarities of Deadheads and Christians:
From my collection - snapped this at a Half Step gig at Seaman's Neck Park on July 21, 2021halfstep.
The Wizard's "lions and tigers and bears"...echo this advice...
--Check out this Garden City Cathedral's version of Dead music...I'm sure you'll be Grateful...
CONTACT INFO
Cathedral of the Incarnation
YouTube - Better to use Facebook and other social media sites
Tom Coogan: Read his book (links above)
Half Step Band
Brooklyn Bowl
Barton Hills Choir
Playing for Change
Uniting Voices Chicago (formerly Chicago Children's Choir)
YouTube Check out this motivating video of who they are (0:1:25)
We are proud to share with you this Song Around The World in honor of the Grateful Dead's 50th anniversary. Our friends at JamBase asked us to turn the Grateful Dead's 1970 classic, "Ripple" into a PFC Song Around the world as part of their "Songs Of Their Own" series (http://www.jambase.com/soto.aspx) and after many miles on planes, trains and automobiles we can finally share it with all of you!! "Ripple" is in support of the Playing For Change Foundation's music schools and programs for children worldwide and we need your help. Watch the video and then let’s turn that inspiration we all share into something bigger. Join the "Ripple Effect" campaign so we can all leave the world better than we found it, one heart and one song at a time. As Jerry Garcia said, "Let there be songs to fill the air..." Special Thanks to our Supporters:
The Jerry Garcia Foundation (http://www.jerrygarciafoundation.org/),
The Ripple Foundation, SeaChange (http://www.schange.com), Michael Klein and Judi Hunt.
JOIN THE MOVEMENT Subscribe to our newsletter: http://bit.ly/1x9CAfJ
Join us as a YouTube Member here: / @playingforchange
GET SOCIAL / playingforchange / playing4change / playing4change Playing For Change (PFC) is a movement created to inspire and connect the world through music, born from the shared belief that music has the power to break down boundaries and overcome distances between people. The primary focus of PFC is to record and film musicians performing in their natural environments and combine their talents and cultural power in innovative videos called Songs Around The World. Creating these videos motivated PFC to form the Playing For Change Band—a tangible, traveling representation of its mission, featuring musicians met along their journey; and establish the Playing For Change Foundation—a separate 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to building music and art schools for children around the world. Through these efforts, Playing For Change aims to create hope and inspiration for the future of our planet. To learn more about the work of the PFC Foundation, visit http://www.playingforchange.org
Uniting Voices Chicago (formerly Chicago Children's Choir)
Uniting Voices Chicago (Josephine Lee, President) is a nonprofit organization that inspires and unites youth from diverse backgrounds to become global leaders through music. Founded in Hyde Park in direct response to the Civil Rights Movement in 1956, Uniting Voices Chicago (formerly Chicago Children’s Choir) has grown from one choir into a vast network of in-school and after-school programs serving 5,200 students across the city of Chicago. Uniting Voices Chicago has impacted the lives of more than 50,000 diverse youth throughout its 66-year history. Since its founding, Uniting Voices Chicago has focused on building programs that reflect the racial and economic diversity of Chicago. Eighty percent of youth served are from low-to-moderate income homes, with over 4,000 students annually participating completely free of charge. All singers in Uniting Voices Chicago programs receive some level of subsidy. High school seniors enrolled in Uniting Voices Chicago have a 100% graduation and college acceptance rate, becoming global ambassadors who carry on our core values in a wide array of professional fields. Learn more at unitingvoiceschicago.org
#music #humor #TomCoogan #KyleSabo #CathedralOfTheIncarnation #GardenCity #GratefulDead #HalfStep #TomSanFilippo #DeadAndCompany #JerryGarcia #Ripple #Furthur #BartonHillsChoir #UnitingVoicesChicago #ChicagoChildrensChoir #PlayingForChange #BrooklynBowl #kindness #WizardOfOz #Snoopy #EastWoodsSchool #JohnTittmann #WileyNickel #JeromePowell
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