\t\t\t\t\tGoFundMe Established for Grateful Dead\u2019s Late Sixties-Era Member Tom \u201cTC\u201d Constanten\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Photo: Cassidy Friedman <\/p>\n
Tom \u201cTC\u201d Constanten, the Grateful Dead\u2019s contributor on keys from 1968 to 1970, is asking for financial support through the launch of a GoFundMe<\/a> campaign to assist in the coverage of his medical expenses. Notably, Constanten retired from the road in 2024, despite one-off appearances since his retirement, including participation in Relix\u2019s 50th anniversary concert at Brooklyn Bowl New York in January of this year.\u00a0<\/p>\n On the donation page, Constanten penned a message of intent:\u00a0<\/p>\n Unlike some of my friends and acquaintances, my participation in the\u00a0<\/p>\n Sixties parties didn\u2019t bring me an abundance of wealth and fame.<\/p>\n Well\u2026 maybe a couple of dollops of fame, but wealth was scarce. And my<\/p>\n taxman adventure of a quarter century ago pretty much wiped all of that<\/p>\n Out.<\/p>\n One of the literary works that influenced me profoundly in my youth was<\/p>\n Ralph Waldo Emerson\u2019s essay on self-reliance. It made me reluctant to<\/p>\n ask for help, even sometimes when it would\u2019ve been justified. Like when<\/p>\n the taxman was on my case, garnishing my wages and attaching my bank<\/p>\n Account.<\/p>\n Circumstances this time have forced my hand. At $250 a pop, the copays<\/p>\n are coming thick and fast. And this is before the anticipated Medicare<\/p>\n cuts have taken hold.<\/p>\n I\u2019m still carrying on as usual, but I believe the X-rays, CAT scans, PET<\/p>\n scans, MRIs, and all.<\/p>\n Next week the radiation therapy commences.\u00a0<\/p>\n I count my wealth in friends, and they have been so generous over the years it boggles my mind. It makes me reluctant to ask for more.<\/p>\n Constanten\u2019s association with the Grateful Dead extends back to his stage debut with the ensemble on November 23, 1968, at the Memorial Auditorium in Athens, Ohio. He remained a fixture of the group\u2019s live and studio sound, contributing to three album cycles: 1968\u2019s Anthem of the Sun, 1969\u2019s Aoxomoxoa, and their fan-loved live album, 1969\u2019s Live Dead, receiving praise for his contributions on \u201cDark Star.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Constanten\u2019s arrival coincided with Ron \u201cPigpen\u201d McKern\u2019s failing health status, allowing the band to keep up their performance regimen while also acknowledging the needs of their original keyboardist, who passed away on March 8, 1973.\u00a0<\/p>\n During his final chapter with the Dead, Contanten took part in the notorious January 31, 1970, concert in New Orleans, his final with the band. This occasion informed the group\u2019s iconic track \u201cTruckin\u2019\u201d after their bust on Bourbon Street. Notably, he appeared with the famed group once more, on April 28, 1971, at New York\u2019s Fillmore East, in what became known as Ladies and Gentlemen\u2026 the Grateful Dead record.\u00a0<\/p>\n Despite a short stint with the group, Constanten was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside the Dead in 1994. Following his performance history with the San Francisco jamband, Constanten accentuated his musical aspirations by performing and contributing to Jefferson Starship, Dose Hermanos, Terrapin Flyers, and Jazz Is Dead.\u00a0<\/p>\n At the time of publication, the GoFundMe<\/a> campaign has reached 30% of its total financial goal. To help Tom Constanten, please consider donating<\/a> now.<\/p>\n