Lawrence 'Ramrod' Shurtliff, Grateful Dead roadie, 61
deb...@comcast.net
SAN FRANCISCO, May 18 (UPI) -- Grateful Dead crew member, Lawrence
"Ramrod" Shurtliff, described by Bob Weir as "our rock," has died in
Petaluma, Calif., at age 61.
Shurtliff, known simply as "Ramrod," died Wednesday at Petaluma Valley
Hospital only weeks after being diagnosed with lung cancer, The San
Francisco Chronicle reported Thursday.
Author Ken Kesey gave "Ramrod" his nickname, which stuck with him
through his life, the Chronicle said.
"I remember when he first showed up at 710 Ashbury," Grateful Dead
drummer Mickey Hart told the newspaper. "He pulled up on a Harley. He
was wearing a chain with a lock around his waist. He said 'Name's
Ramrod -- Kesey sent me -- I hear you need a good man.' I remember it
like it was yesterday."
Ramrod started as a truck driver for the band in 1967 and was laid off
with the remainder of the Dead's staff last year. He served as
president of the Grateful Dead board of directors when it incorporated
in the '70s until guitarist Jerry Garcia's death in 1995.
Hart and Weir recalled a vast number of instances where Ramrod proved
invaluable to the jam band -- like the time Hart as so stoned, Ramrod
fastened him to his drum stool with gaffer's tape so he would not fall
off.
He had a son, Strider Shurtliff, with his first wife, Patricia
"Patticake" Luft, and a son, Rudson Shurtliff, with his wife of 38
years, Francis Whalen.
wazzzy
Daughter of Aerosmith's head of security killed in car crash