Grateful Dead History of the Grateful Dead Vol. 1 (Bear's Choice) [Live] [50th Anniversary Edition] - The Grateful Dead's first true archival album- Bear's Choice was lovingly produced as atribute to Pigpen shortly after he passed by none other that the Dead's original soundman and benefactor Owsley Stanley aka Bear. Drawing from live shows recorded three years earlier by Bear at the Fillmore East in New York City Bear's Choice captures the Dead at an essential moment of their history as they were about to record Workingman's Dead (and shortly thereafter American Beauty) and were transitioning into becoming Americana pioneers while never losing touch with their psychedelic improvisational roots. Three of the eight songs on the album are sung by Pigpen with Side 1 being the definitive example of early Acoustic Dead and Side 2 being electric blues and rock & roll with Pigpen leading the charge on both tracks on the second side. This has been re-mastered by David Glasser using Plangent Processes from the original analog 2-track tapes recorded live by Bear and has never sounded better. - - - 1 Katie Mae (Live at the Fillmore East San Francisco Ca 2/13/70) - 2 Dark Hollow (Live at the Fillmore East San Francisco Ca 2/14/70) - 3 I've Been All Around This World (Live at the Fillmore East San Francisco Ca 2/14/70) - 4 Wake Up Little Susie (Live at the Fillmore East San Francisco Ca 2/13/70) - 5 Black Peter (Live at the Fillmore East San Francisco Ca 2/13/70) - - 1 Smokestack Lightnin' (Live at the Fillmore East San Francisco Ca 2/13/70) - 2 Hard to Handle (Live at the Fillmore East San Francisco Ca 2/14/70)