The Grateful Dead has been chosen as the 2025 MusiCares Person of the Year, with the honor coming as they celebrate their 60th anniversary.
Surviving original members Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh and Bobby Weir will be recognized for “their immense contributions to music, their tireless philanthropic efforts and their pioneering role in fostering communities through their concerts and activism.” The night will also feature a special posthumous tribute to the band’s late founder, Jerry Garcia.
“We are deeply honored to be recognized as MusiCares Persons of the Year,” Hart, Kreutzmann, Lesh and Weir said in a statement. “This honor is truly a testament to the legacy of the music, which has always been bigger than us—it’s about the connection between us, the crew, and all those who’ve been on this long strange trip.”
They add, “It’s not just about what we create, but about making sure the people behind it, behind us every night, the ones who quietly make it all happen, get the support they need to keep going, no matter what life throws at them. We’re grateful to stand with MusiCares and hope everyone continues to support this vital mission to ensure music thrives in perpetuity.”
Launched in 1991, previous MusiCares Person of the Year recipients include Jon Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell and Tom Petty. Grateful Dead is only the third band to receive the honor; Fleetwood Mac got it in 2018 and Aerosmith got it in 2020.
The 2025 MusiCares Person of the Year gala will take place Jan. 31 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, two nights before the 67th annual GRAMMY Awards.
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