SPECIAL PERMISSION

I am riding with Bob Weir in his car on a sunny afternoon in San Francisco.

We witness a miracle.

As he´s driving down the road, we were talking about top ten hit songs on the radio, and Weir says “The Grateful Dead would like to have one of those.” We look at the car ahead of us and the license plate has no numbers, only the word “HIT”.

"Is that God or coincidence?" Bob asks.

There were many extraordinary moments like this in

the lives of the Grateful Dead.

I´m just a storyteller but I don´t have the talent they do,

but feel great inspiration from their music!

Their lives were extremely difficult, and we all struggled with our sins, especially drugs, and they truly helped people everywhere. I once asked Jerry Garcia, in Philadelphia, “Do you believe in a chosen people?” Bobby and Phil were there when he answered, “Some people talk about the 144,000 or whatever number of people that are going to be saved. But I don´t believe in any of the numbers. I´m not satisfied until everyone comes around and all are included.”

The Grateful Dead reached out to everyone, and there are many Deadhead stories that share how they influenced and helped our lives by putting a sparkle of magic into us. They weren´t doing it for the money. There´s nothing wrong with having money! But the Bible says “The love of money is the root of all evil.” (1Timothy6:10).

The true goal is that we will all get to Heaven, the Promised Land, where we can listen to the Grateful Dead forever and ever. All of us, including the members of the band, would have to overcome many obstacles and difficulties to get there.

We all struggled with the challenge.

“Dark is the sky! & veiled the unknown morrow.

Dark is life´s way for the night is not yet over.”

God goes on before every tomorrow.

Jesus will return to reign on Earth for The Millennium,

a thousand years bringing true peace, and healing

and effectively stopping sickness and premature death.

The timing of when things will change only He knows.

I felt a very deep spiritual connection to the Grateful Dead.

The first time I saw Jerry Garcia play in California

was at The Keystone Korner bar in North Beach, San Francisco.

It was the smallest crowd I ever seen him perform to.

The place was not packed and

there was a cloud of cigarette smoke that filled the air.

When Jerry Garcia started performing “Positively Fourth Street”

someone pointed to me and said “Bob Dylan”

and the small crowd gathered in a circle around me.

When Jerry sang:

“I wish that for just one time you could stand inside my shoes And just for that one moment I could be you Yes, I wish that for just one time you could stand inside my shoes You'd know what a drag it is to see you.”

The tingling in my back was incredible!

I felt something similar the night I got to perform on Bob Weir´s birthday.

I am not a musician but I felt like I could be standing in Bob´s shoes

with the same tingling effect. I felt like Bob singing to God!

DRAW ME CLOSE

Acoustic Guitar & Vocals

by Uncle John

I have a soundboard recording of this song performed that night @

The SWEETWATER Saloon,

Mill Valley California

October 16, 2001

Draw me close to You
Never let me go
I lay it all down again
To hear You say that I'm your friend
You are my desire
No one else will do
'Cause nothing else can take your place
To feel the warmth of your embrace
Help me find the way
Bring me back to You

You're all I want
You´re all I've ever needed
You´re all I want
Help me know You are near

You're all I want
You're all I've ever needed
You're all I want
Help me know You are near

You're all I want
You´re all I've ever needed
You´re all I want
Help me know You are near

Help me know You are near
Help me know You are near

The Grateful Dead are in the heart of God.

It is not about religion. It is about love!