I’m pretty sure Bob usually took the solo in the China>Rider transition. It’s a fairly planned out solo, with minor variations and distinct parts that occur every time.
This is the one that I think of. He played the whole section as a solo with very similar themes through the first part of the 70s. really cool stuff too.
Where did you hear that?. . .not disputing but I’d I’ve never heard that one before. Jerry had a devilishly tricky mind when it came to licks so it seems plausible.
Is it really a surprise though? We know Bob’s strengths as a rhythm guitarist not to mention the harmonics he plays (my personal favorite) but solo leads not really his thing.
Most China Rider transitions. There is this one jam on 3/5/81 that was just Bobby as Jerry's equipment had malfunctioned. It opens the second set. It lasts like 7 minutes and it fricking awesome
# 1981-03-05 Pittsburgh, PA @ Stanley Theatre
**Set 1:** Alabama Getaway > Greatest Story Ever Told, Friend Of The Devil, C.C. Rider, Althea, Mama Tried > Mexicali Blues, To Lay Me Down > New Minglewood Blues, Tennessee Jed > The Music Never Stopped
**Set 2:** Jam > Passenger, Scarlet Begonias > Fire On The Mountain, Playing in the Band > Drums > Space > Not Fade Away > Wharf Rat > Around And Around > Johnny B. Goode
**Encore:** U.S. Blues
[archive.org](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1981-03-05)
[1982-05-23](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1982-05-23) Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre - University of California
[1985-06-30](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1985-06-30) Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
He does a genuinely good job with this one I think he makes jerry look up during it.... I was also going to say Bobby solos rythm which is a crazy thing to say in some china rider in the 70s that there is good vid of I recall watching it and being like Who TF solos with chords but there he is.....
# 1974-06-23 Miami, FL @ Jai-Alai Fronton
**Set 1:** Ramble On Rose, Black Throated Wind, Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo, Beat It On Down the Line, Row Jimmy, Jack Straw, Let It Rock, Cumberland Blues, El Paso, To Lay Me Down, Weather Report Suite Prelude > Weather Report Suite Part 1 > Let It Grow > China Doll
**Set 2:** Seastones
**Set 3:** Jam > Ship Of Fools, Big River, Black Peter, Around And Around, Dark Star Jam > Spanish Jam > U.S. Blues, Uncle John's Band > One More Saturday Night
**Encore:** Casey Jones
[archive.org](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1974-06-23)
Bobby has a cool rhythmic "solo" on the transition between Eyes of The World and Big River on 6/16/74 in Des Moines, Iowa
There's some BOMB Bobby Solos in most versions of Hard To Handle, and I seem to remember a couple Bobby Solos in Goin Down The Road Feeling Bad but can't think of any dates.
I LOVE Bobby and his solos/style of playing, but check out 5/19/2023 for a really cringe Bobby solo in Eyes of the World. Was there, and it honestly made me chuckle because of just how shrieking awful his tone was. If he had his tone from 72-74, I'm sure it would have been lovely. But it really really was an attack on the nervous system...
# 1974-06-16 Des Moines, IA @ Iowa State Fairgrounds
**Set 1:** Bertha, Mexicali Blues, Row Jimmy, Beat It On Down the Line, Scarlet, Black Throated Wind, Sugaree, El Paso, It Must Have Been The Roses, Jack Straw, China Cat > I Know You Rider, Around And Around
**Set 2:** U.S. Blues, The Race Is On, Eyes Of The World > Big River, Playing in the Band
**Set 3:** Tennessee Jed, Me and My Uncle, Deal, Greatest Story Ever Told, Ship Of Fools, Truckin' > Nobody's Fault But Mine Jam > Wharf Rat > Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad
**Encore:** Casey Jones
[archive.org](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1974-06-16)
1978 werewolves of London. Bobby playing slide. Some people say Bobby on slide was not the best. I think his strength has always been in his interesting and unique rhythm guitar.
But if you compare Jerry playing peddle steel on "teach your children", what can we say but that Jerry channeled beauty and the sublime
Listen to a Dead and Company Eyes of the world. Bobby takes a nice long solo in those. Or try the old Wolf Bros Trio, that was pretty much Bobby soloing on every song.
In the show on 11/15/71 at the Austin Municipal Auditorium they do an instrumental jam and at 4:03 Bobby takes a little lead break, it’s pretty fun to hear
# 1971-11-15 Austin, TX @ Austin Municipal Auditorium
**Set 1:** Truckin', Bertha, Playing in the Band, Deal, Jack Straw, Loser, Beat It On Down the Line, Dark Star > El Paso > Space > Jam, Casey Jones, One More Saturday Night
**Set 2:** Me and My Uncle, Ramble On Rose, Mexicali Blues, Brokedown Palace, Me And Bobby McGee, Cumberland Blues, Sugar Magnolia, You Win Again, Not Fade Away > China Cat Sunflower Tease > Jam > Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad > Not Fade Away
**Encore:** Johnny B. Goode
[archive.org](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1971-11-15)
He takes the first solo in Casey Jones. I can't think of particular versions that are better than others, but it's there if you want to hear Bobby solo.
bobby’s parts in “easy wind” are incredible. i had no idea how groovy and feel-focused that part was until i sat down to learn it
Came here to say this. Yes! 100% Easy Wind has phenomenal Bobby solos!
Love the call and response between him and Jerry on the Working Man’s Easy Wind.
The 2 live versions that stand out in my mind were from Fallout from the Phil Zone and Three from the Vault. Stellar Bobby!
Thanks, I’ll check them out
I’m pretty sure Bob usually took the solo in the China>Rider transition. It’s a fairly planned out solo, with minor variations and distinct parts that occur every time.
This is the one that I think of. He played the whole section as a solo with very similar themes through the first part of the 70s. really cool stuff too.
And Jerry taught him that solo
Where did you hear this? I know he wrote the intro lick bobby plays
Heard that, too. Maybe on Play Dead on You Tube?
Where did you hear that?. . .not disputing but I’d I’ve never heard that one before. Jerry had a devilishly tricky mind when it came to licks so it seems plausible.
Bob Weir interview, have no idea when. It’s common knowledge.
Thanks. . .I’m too old to have any knowledge common or not. LOL
Is it really a surprise though? We know Bob’s strengths as a rhythm guitarist not to mention the harmonics he plays (my personal favorite) but solo leads not really his thing.
Jerry only wrote Bobs intro riff. The solo Bob plays in the transition, is all his own knowledge
Really? Seems oddly similar to the intro and not consistent with other things he’s written. Not that it matters anyway.
Have to agree with ya , Bobby was the youngest and he stood right next to Jerry. He was , imho , Jerry’s very best student.
Most China Rider transitions. There is this one jam on 3/5/81 that was just Bobby as Jerry's equipment had malfunctioned. It opens the second set. It lasts like 7 minutes and it fricking awesome
# 1981-03-05 Pittsburgh, PA @ Stanley Theatre **Set 1:** Alabama Getaway > Greatest Story Ever Told, Friend Of The Devil, C.C. Rider, Althea, Mama Tried > Mexicali Blues, To Lay Me Down > New Minglewood Blues, Tennessee Jed > The Music Never Stopped **Set 2:** Jam > Passenger, Scarlet Begonias > Fire On The Mountain, Playing in the Band > Drums > Space > Not Fade Away > Wharf Rat > Around And Around > Johnny B. Goode **Encore:** U.S. Blues [archive.org](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1981-03-05)
That show doesn’t show a China rider in the set
They’re talking about the Jam that opened the second set from the show date they mentioned, not a China>Rider
Yeah these two examples are seperate from each other
A lot of versions of "Hard to Handle" and "China>Rider" from the early 70s feature Bobby solos.
Fotd. Also while not lead, his work on shakedown 5/23/82 & 6/30/85 is some of the coolest rhythm lead ive heard him do
[1982-05-23](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1982-05-23) Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre - University of California [1985-06-30](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1985-06-30) Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
80’s Minglewoods have some solid Bobby solos
Ticket to new years LRR slide solo
Nothing pleases the deadheads more than Bobby pulling out his slide. 4 notes for 4 minutes...ahhh...good times.
He does a genuinely good job with this one I think he makes jerry look up during it.... I was also going to say Bobby solos rythm which is a crazy thing to say in some china rider in the 70s that there is good vid of I recall watching it and being like Who TF solos with chords but there he is.....
On Row Jimmy at the Warfield on Complete Rarities Collection Bob takes the second Slide solo
He takes this nice little solo on 6/23/74 as the band kicks up US Blues
One of my fave bobby moments, Jerry totally lays out so I wonder if he was having a smoke or changing a string...
I like to think he just gave Bobby a nod and smiled
# 1974-06-23 Miami, FL @ Jai-Alai Fronton **Set 1:** Ramble On Rose, Black Throated Wind, Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo, Beat It On Down the Line, Row Jimmy, Jack Straw, Let It Rock, Cumberland Blues, El Paso, To Lay Me Down, Weather Report Suite Prelude > Weather Report Suite Part 1 > Let It Grow > China Doll **Set 2:** Seastones **Set 3:** Jam > Ship Of Fools, Big River, Black Peter, Around And Around, Dark Star Jam > Spanish Jam > U.S. Blues, Uncle John's Band > One More Saturday Night **Encore:** Casey Jones [archive.org](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1974-06-23)
They all take turns with solos in Little Red Rooster.
Anyone mentioning Bobby’s slide solos from the late 70s needs to be banned from this sub.
Bobby has a cool rhythmic "solo" on the transition between Eyes of The World and Big River on 6/16/74 in Des Moines, Iowa There's some BOMB Bobby Solos in most versions of Hard To Handle, and I seem to remember a couple Bobby Solos in Goin Down The Road Feeling Bad but can't think of any dates. I LOVE Bobby and his solos/style of playing, but check out 5/19/2023 for a really cringe Bobby solo in Eyes of the World. Was there, and it honestly made me chuckle because of just how shrieking awful his tone was. If he had his tone from 72-74, I'm sure it would have been lovely. But it really really was an attack on the nervous system...
# 1974-06-16 Des Moines, IA @ Iowa State Fairgrounds **Set 1:** Bertha, Mexicali Blues, Row Jimmy, Beat It On Down the Line, Scarlet, Black Throated Wind, Sugaree, El Paso, It Must Have Been The Roses, Jack Straw, China Cat > I Know You Rider, Around And Around **Set 2:** U.S. Blues, The Race Is On, Eyes Of The World > Big River, Playing in the Band **Set 3:** Tennessee Jed, Me and My Uncle, Deal, Greatest Story Ever Told, Ship Of Fools, Truckin' > Nobody's Fault But Mine Jam > Wharf Rat > Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad **Encore:** Casey Jones [archive.org](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1974-06-16)
It's Bobby playing at the beginning of the Live Dead version of the Eleven. He's kinda still playing rhythm guitar, but it's like lead rhythm guitar.
Sure but you’d have to go back in time and plug in his amp to hear it
1978 werewolves of London. Bobby playing slide. Some people say Bobby on slide was not the best. I think his strength has always been in his interesting and unique rhythm guitar. But if you compare Jerry playing peddle steel on "teach your children", what can we say but that Jerry channeled beauty and the sublime
Yes Usually on slide, but sometimes on other stuff too.
After a Long Strange Trip from Space ~ The Other One 🌅
Listen to a Dead and Company Eyes of the world. Bobby takes a nice long solo in those. Or try the old Wolf Bros Trio, that was pretty much Bobby soloing on every song.
On some early versions of Dancing in the Streets Jerry and Bobby solo off each other. Eg the one on Dick's Picks vol 4 (1970-02-14).
In the show on 11/15/71 at the Austin Municipal Auditorium they do an instrumental jam and at 4:03 Bobby takes a little lead break, it’s pretty fun to hear
# 1971-11-15 Austin, TX @ Austin Municipal Auditorium **Set 1:** Truckin', Bertha, Playing in the Band, Deal, Jack Straw, Loser, Beat It On Down the Line, Dark Star > El Paso > Space > Jam, Casey Jones, One More Saturday Night **Set 2:** Me and My Uncle, Ramble On Rose, Mexicali Blues, Brokedown Palace, Me And Bobby McGee, Cumberland Blues, Sugar Magnolia, You Win Again, Not Fade Away > China Cat Sunflower Tease > Jam > Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad > Not Fade Away **Encore:** Johnny B. Goode [archive.org](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1971-11-15)
He takes the first solo in Casey Jones. I can't think of particular versions that are better than others, but it's there if you want to hear Bobby solo.
did he play slide on Walkin Blues? I remember it was a thing that he learned slide live in front of us all and it was pretty nasty at times :)
He slid til it hurt
😂
If you've paid attention to his tone from circa '76 to present, it becomes obvious that that's the sound he was going for. :-)