Tie-Dye Politics: The Legacy of Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead w/ Author Jim Newton (G&R 483)

Tie-Dye Politics: The Legacy of Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead w/ Author Jim Newton (G&R 483)

From Green & Red: Podcasts for Scrappy Radicals by Green and Red

April 7, 2026 · 48 min · Season 1 · Episode 483

About this episode

The episode discusses the political and cultural legacy of Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead with author Jim Newton.

**Right wing billionaires are taking over media companies and social media platforms, now, more than ever, scrappy independent media needs your support. Become a Patron of Green and Red Podcast at https://www.patreon.com/greenredpodcast Episode details// The Grateful Dead's long strange trip through the latter half of the 20th century had a huge influence on American politics, culture and counterculture. From San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury to Woodstock to their record breaking concerts in their last ten years, the Dead had a radical message and created a bohemian community that lasts through today. In our latest, we talk with former Los Angeles times journalist and author of “Here Beside the Rising Tide: Jerry Garcia, the Grateful Dead, and an American Awakening" Jim Newton (@newton_jim) about the political and cultural legacy of Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead. We talk about the Merry Pranksters, the music, the Dead vs. Ronald Reagan in the 1960s and the 1980s (when the Dead championed AIDs and rainforest advocacy), Tucker Carlson, Phish, Burning Man and that Scott was a secret Deadhead in his youth. Guest Bio// Jim Newton is a veteran journalist, best-selling author and…

People in this episode

Guest: Jim Newton

Topics covered

  • political legacy
  • cultural influence
  • counterculture
  • music
  • activism
  • journalism

Keywords

  • Grateful Dead
  • Jerry Garcia
  • Jim Newton
  • politics
  • counterculture
  • activism
  • music
  • Los Angeles Times

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Los Angeles Times, Phish, Burning Man, Grateful Dead

Books & works: Here Beside the Rising Tide: Jerry Garcia, the Grateful Dead, and an American Awakening

Places: San Francisco, Haight-Ashbury, Woodstock

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