Photo via Cyril Neville on Facebook

Big Easy stalwart Cyril Neville has shared an expansive web of memories on social media pertaining to his induction into the Grateful Dead’s tie-dye world of sage and spirit. The retrospective of sorts arrives in tandem with the launch of the artist’s own tour rooted in the Dead’s original music, dubbed Cyril Neville Does The Dead. The five-show run is slated to begin on Thursday, Sept. 10, at SHU Community Theatre in Fairfield, Conn. 

Following night one on the road, Neville will continue to lend his talents to the Grateful Dead songbook on Friday, Sept. 11, at The Cabot in Beverly, Mass., followed by an evening at Colony in Woodstock, N.Y., on Saturday, Sept. 12. Remaining in the Northeast, the funk purveyor will bring his renditions of choice cuts to the Greenwich Odeum in East Greenwich, R.I., on Sunday, Sept. 13, ahead of the final night of this run, Wednesday, Sept. 16 at New York’s Brooklyn Bowl. 

Writing at length about the Dead’s influence on his own trajectory in conjunction with the live appearances, Neville wrote: 

I knew of The Dead only vaguely when the Neville Brothers first toured with them. I only knew a few Dead songs then but I knew quite a few Dead Heads,and was very intrigued by how dedicated their fans were. I had no idea that they had been playing Iko Iko for years and that their audience was already into what the Brothers were puttin down.

The first show we did with them was at the Oakland Coliseum and it was sold out! That really impressed me and I started asking questions and those guys answered them all graciously.

I wanted to know how they were getting the word out about their shows,how they had survived on the road so long and I really got schooled!

They were way ahead of the game as far as I was concerned. I loved the lights and the smell of incense and herbs in the air,and the feeling of being in an alternate musical loving peaceful bullshit free universe. I’m going to bring those same positive vibrations on our upcoming Cyril Neville Does The Dead tour!

Micky and Bobby really turned us on and tuned us in! Their merchandise area stretched about a city block. Everything from bumper stickers buttons and decals to Harley Davidson motorcycles with their logo emblazoned on it all. I peeped game and took notes.

The audience response we got the first time we played “Iko Iko” into “Yes Women Are Smarter” with them blew me away. And it was the same every time we played together. Nothing was ever rehearsed, it was always spontaneous and free! It was a total jam session.

Well, we’re going to be spontaneous on stage but we’ve rehearsed a plethora of Dead Head Favorites for y’all, with some added musical surprises we’ve prepared we’ll include along the way!

So get your tickets now for Cyril Neville Does The Dead, coming to a city near you this September, with Omari Neville and The Fuel backing me up! 

Tickets for Cyril Neville Plays The Dead are on sale now and can be purchased here. 

Cyril Neville Plays The Dead:

Sept. 10 – SHU Community Theatre – Fairfield, Conn. 

Sept. 11 – The Cabot – Beverly, Mass. 

Sept. 12 – Colony – Woodstock, N.Y. 

Sept. 13 – Greenwich Odeum – East Greenwich, R.I. 

Sept. 16 – Brooklyn Bowl – Brooklyn, N.Y.