The Heart of Gold Band is an American rock band formed by
Keith and
Donna Jean Godchaux
Donna Jean Thatcher Godchaux-MacKay (born August 22, 1947) is an American singer who was a member of the Grateful Dead from 1972 until 1979.
Biography
Donna Jean Thatcher was born in Florence, Alabama. Prior to 1970, she had worked as a sessi ...
in 1980 following their departure from the
Grateful Dead. The band took its name from a line in the Dead song "
Scarlet Begonias".
Original Run
The Heart of Gold Band was formed in early 1980, shortly after Keith and Donna Godchaux had left the Grateful Dead in 1979. Other founding members of the group were guitarist
Steve Kimock, drummer
Greg Anton, bassist Dexter LaBlanc, and vocalist Greta Rose. Keith Godchaux was killed in a car accident on July 23, 1980, just a few days after the band's first gig. The band continued on for another year, adding keyboardist Mark Adler and replacing Dexter LaBlanc with Donna Godchaux's future husband, David MacKay, before disbanding.
A self-titled CD was released in 1998, containing 13 tracks recorded by the original band, 11 of them prior to Keith Godchaux's death.
Reformation
The band was reformed in 2004 when Donna Godchaux and her husband, David MacKay, were looking to form a band. They originally intended to call the group "Godchaux MacKay", but drummer Greg Anton got involved and the group was named the Heart of Gold Band. Also involved in the reconfigured group are former keyboardist Mark Adler, percussionist Russ Randolf, Keith and Donna's son Zion Godchaux, Keith's brother Brian Godchaux, and Kinsman MacKay, the son of Donna and David MacKay. The reunited band released ''At The Table'' in 2004 on their own
Heart of Gold Records.
The group has largely been on hiatus since its reformation in 2004. For a while Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay performed with the
Donna Jean Godchaux Band
The Donna Jean Godchaux Band (sometimes known as the Donna Jean Godchaux Band with Jeff Mattson) is an American rock music group. Originally named Kettle Joe's Psychedelic Swamp Revue, and later Donna Jean and the Tricksters, the band was origina ...
.
On August 1, 2016 in celebration of
Jerry Garcia's birthday the band reunited for a performance at Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley, CA. Donna Jean Godchaux Mackay, Steve Kimock, Greg Anton, David Mackay, Mookie Siegel and Brian Godchaux were joined for several songs by Donna's former Grateful Dead bandmate, Bob Weir. A high fidelity multi-track recording of the entire concert was published in April 2017.
Notes
External links
*
Donna Jean Godchaux Band Official Site
{{Authority control
1980 establishments in California
1981 disestablishments in California
Rock music groups from California
Grateful Dead
Musical groups established in 1980
Musical groups disestablished in 1981
Musical groups reestablished in 2004
Musical groups reestablished in 2016
Relix Records artists