After a four year recording and production process, The National’s Aaron and Bryce Dessner will present Day of the Dead, a 59-track compilation of Grateful Dead music covered by a host of artists from the indie rock, classical and world music circles due out on May 20. The release, which will be available digitally, as a five-CD package and as a limited edition vinyl box set, will benefit the Red Hot Organization, marking the 20th album of original music produced by Red Hot to further its mission to fight AIDS/HIV.

Over sixty artists in all make up the three-part compilation, split up into “Thunder,” “Lightning” and “Sunshine” chapters. Produced by Aaron Dessner and co-produced by brother Bryce along with Josh Kaufman (Kaufman is currently working with Bob Weir on his “cowboy songs” project), many of the tracks feature a house band that includes the Dessners along with National bandmates Scott and Bryan Devendorf, Kaufman, Conrad Doucette (drummer in Brooklyn-based Takka Takka), Yellowbirds’ Sam Cohen and Walter Martin of The Walkmen.

Among the featured tracks are a pair of appearances from Bob Weir, as a live rendition of “St. Stephen” he performed with Wilco as well as “I Know You Rider” with The National both appear. Grateful Dead touring member Bruce Hornsby teams with DeYarmond Edison (which includes Justin Vernon and the band Megafaun) on “Black Muddy River,” while Arcade Fire’s Richard Reed Parry collaborates with The Band’s Garth Hudson, Little Scream and composer Adelaide Shaw for “Brokedown Palace.”

Other selections include Lee Ranaldo and TV On the Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe on “Playing in the Band” and Jenny Lewis, who makes several appearances on the record, adding her voice and guitar to “Sugaree” and “Cassidy” (Lewis has also routinely covered “Shakedown Street” at her shows). The War on Drugs put their version of “Touch of Grey” on record, meanwhile former WoD member Kurt Vile enlists J. Masics for “Box of Rain.” My Morning Jacket’s Jim James (who has shared the stage with Bob Weir as well), performs “Candyman,” Mumford & Sons take on “Friend of the Devil” and Unknown Mortal Orchestra deliver their rendition of “Shakedown Street” while Joe Russo, Cass McCombs and a slew of friends explore “Dark Star.” Charles Bradley, Bela Fleck, Courtney Barnett, The Lone Bellow, The Flaming Lips, Lucius and many more also offer their services to the compilation.

On the Grateful Dead, TV On the Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe said, “They’re one of the great, ‘do everything’ bands, take from whatever you want and warp it into something new. I’m sure that some of the space rock and psyche jam DNA of the band has seeped into what we do.”

Finally, more details have emerged about the Day of the Dead performance at this year’s Eaux Claires Festival slated for August 12-13. Jenny Lewis, Matthew Houck (Phosphorescent), Lucius, Will Oldham, Sam Amidon, Arcade Fire’s Richard Reed Parry, The National’s Matt Berninger, Justin Vernon, Bruce Hornsby, Ruban Nielson and The National will all take part in the superjam centered around the record.

Day of the Dead is available for pre-order here.

*_Day of the Dead_ Tracklist:

“Thunder” (Volume One):
Touch of Grey (The War on Drugs)
Sugaree (Phosphorescent, Jenny Lewis & Friends)
Candyman (Jim James & Friends)
Cassidy (Moses Sumney, Jenny Lewis & Friends)
Black Muddy River (Bruce Hornsby and DeYarmond Edison feat. Justin Vernon and Megafaun)
Loser (Ed Droste, Binki Shapiro & Friends)
Peggy-O (The National)
Box of Rain (Kurt Vile and the Violators feat. J Mascis)
Rubin and Cherise (Bonnie “Prince” Billy & Friends)
To Lay Me Down (Perfume Genius, Sharon Van Etten & Friends)
New Speedway Boogie (Courtney Barnett)
Friend of the Devil (Mumford & Sons)
Uncle John’s Band (Lucius)
Me and My Uncle (The Lone Bellow & Friends)
Mountains of the Moon (Lee Ranaldo, Lisa Hannigan & Friends)
Black Peter (Anohni and yMusic)
Garcia Counterpoint (Bryce Dessner)
Terrapin Station (Suite) (Daniel Rossen, Christopher Bear, The National feat. Josh Kaufman, Conrad Doucette, So Percussion and Brooklyn Youth Chorus)
Attics of My Life (Angel Olsen)
St. Stephen (live) (Wilco feat. Bob Weir)

“Lightning” (Volume Two):

If I Had the World to Give (Bonnie “Prince” Billy)
Standing on the Moon (Phosphorescent & Friends)
Cumberland Blues (Charles Bradley and Menahan Street Band)
Ship of Fools (Tallest Man on Earth & Friends)
Bird Song (Bonnie “Prince” Billy & Friends)
Morning Dew (The National)
Truckin’ (Marijuana Deathsquads)
Dark Star (Cass McCombs, Joe Russo & Friends)
Nightfall of Diamonds (Nightfall of Diamonds)
Transitive Refraction Axis for John Oswald (Tim Hecker)
Going Down the Road Feelin’ Bad (Lucinda Williams & Friends)
Playing in the Band (Tunde Adebimpe, Lee Ranaldo & Friends)
Stella Blue (Local Natives)
Eyes of the World (Tal National)
Help On the Way (Bela Fleck)
Franklin’s Tower (Orchestra Baobob)
Till the Morning Comes (Luluc with Xylouris White)
Ripple (The Walkmen)
Brokedown Palace (Richard Reed Parry with Caroline Shaw and Little Scream feat. Garth Hudson)

“Sunshine” (Volume Three):

Here Comes Sunshine (Real Estate)
Shakedown Street (Unknown Mortal Orchestra)
Brown-Eyed Women (Hiss Golden Messenger)
Jack-A-Roe (This is the Kit)
High Time (Daniel Rossen and Christopher Bear)
Dire Wolf (The Lone Bellow & Friends)
Althea (Winston Marshall, Kodiak Blue and Shura)
Clementine Jam (Orchestra Baobob)
China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider (Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks)
Easy Wind (Bill Callahan)
Wharf Rat (Ira Kaplan & Friends)
Estimated Prophet (The Rileys)
Drums > Space (Man Forever, So Percussion and Oneida)
Cream Puff War (Fucked Up)
Dark Star (The Flaming Lips)
What’s Become of the Baby (s t a r g a z e)
King Solomon’s Marbles (Vijay Iyer)
Rosemary (Mina Tindle & Friends)
And We Bid You Goodnight (Sam Amidon)
I Know You Rider (live) (The National with Bob Weir)