Photographer Tracks Down ‘Deadheads’ 30 Years His Authentic Portraits

We love “then and now” photograph sequence, however while you add within the Grateful Dead, it takes on an entire new which means. Photographer Bill Lemke attended his first Grateful Dead live performance in 1980 and was instantly captivated by the band’s superfans, referred to as Deadheads. However, quite than documenting them by way of candid images, he opted for formal portraits. And now, he’s revisited a number of the 150 Deadheads he initially photographed between 1985 and 1990. The outcomes, 30 years aside, are as candy as you’d think about.

Lemke was capable of join along with his former topics due to a small contact card he had everybody fill out in order that he may ship them a replica of their images. In 2015, he bought a name from a person who had been photographed along with his daughter. She was now transferring out of state and the photograph meant a lot to him, he requested Lemke if he may obtain one other copy.

“Then, he went on to ask if I would consider photographing them again before she left, and promised me lunch,” Lemke tells My Modern Met. “They only lived a couple hours away from me so I agreed to do it, and the reunion with him led to the search for others.”

The mission was born, and after Lemke’s spouse put the unique images on his web site, she scoured Deadhead Facebook teams for the unique sitters. As individuals slowly started to determine themselves within the pictures, they began to succeed in out about being rephotographed.

Lemke’s images, taken in black and white on a large-format digital camera, are a love letter to this neighborhood. Brought collectively by their love of music, they’ve fashioned a bond that has endured Jerry Garcia’s loss of life in 1995.

“It’s easy to write off this population of people as ‘just a bunch of hippies, living on the fringe of life,’” shares Lemke. “But I have found them to be resourceful, resilient, and generous. The touring Deadheads found creative ways to support themselves while going from show to show wherever the Grateful Dead were playing; selling homemade donuts, black African soap, tie-dye wear, bean burritos, or whatever they had to offer.”

Now, 42 of the Deadheads Lemke has rephotographed will see their portraits, and tales, printed in his forthcoming guide Aging Gratefully. The guide, which shall be launched in October 2025 after a successful Kickstarter campaign, is enhanced by the work of David Gans, who’s interviewing the entire contributors nearly to be able to embody their firsthand tales.

Of course, the mission doesn’t finish right here. As momentum for the mission builds, Lemke nonetheless hears from unique Deadheads who want to take part on this transferring sequence throughout area and time.

Photographer Bill Lemke took formal portraits of 150 Deadheads at Grateful Dead live shows within the Eighties.

Thirty years later, he revisited a number of the similar sitters, who recreated their magical portraits.

The work is now being compiled right into a guide, Aging Gratefully, and enhanced with their private tales.

Bill Lemke: Website | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to function pictures by Bill Lemke.

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