Former NBA
star and longtime Grateful Dead fan Bill Walton became the first person
inducted into the band's new Hall of Honor. ''That's as great an honor as I've
ever received,'' Walton said. ''It ranks right up there with being inducted into the
Basketball Hall of Fame, the Academic All-America Hall of Fame and being
selected one of the NBA's 50 greatest basketball players of all time.''
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Thursday June 21 08:57 AM EDT
Grateful Dead Makes Bill Walton First Member Of Hall
dailynews.yahoo.com
(6/21/01, 10 a.m. ET) -- Saying that "working for the [ Grateful] Dead wasn't just a job, it was an
adventure," the Dead camp has decided to institute a special Hall Of Honor to recognize those who
"exemplify the right stuff." But rather than plaques and trophies, the Dead's Hall Of Honor will produce
T-shirts and posters commemorating these people in order to raise money for the group's nonprofit
charitable wing, the Rex Foundation.
The first honoree will be NBA Hall Of Famer and TV commentator Bill Walton, a longtime fan that
publicist Dennis McNally notes "was probably the band's favorite Dead Head because the qualities
he brought to basketball--dedication, the team/ensemble concept, a sense of humor--were exactly the
virtues [the Dead] applied to their music. So Bill was the, you'll pardon the expression, slam dunk
unanimous choice to be the first honoree."
Grateful Dead productions has commissioned Tim Truman to create special artwork honoring
Walton, which will be reproduced on T-shirts and posters. Three-hundred first-edition artist's proofs of
the poster, signed by Walton and Truman, will be available for $75, and 2000 signed by Walton only
will go for $30. The T-shirts will cost $20. The goods are available at 1-800-CAL-DEAD
(1-800-225-3323) or online at dead.net.
-- Gary Graff, New York |
