Laurence Shurtliff

Laurence Shurtliff (1947, Montana - May 16,2006, Petaluma, CA), also spelled Lawrence Shurtliff and a.k.a., Ram Rod, was President of Grateful Dead Productions, Inc., from 1976, the year that the Grateful Dead incorporated, until the death of guitarist Jerry Garcia in 1995. He also was the Grateful Dead's "head roadie" and equipment manager during and prior to those years, and began his first role with the band as tour truck driver in 1967."Lawrence 'Ramrod' Shurtliff: 1945-2006; Mainstay of Grateful Dead crew dies -- 'he was our rock' " , Joel Selvin, Chronicle Senior Pop Music Critic, [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/05/18/MNGGDITL9I1.DTL San Francisco Cronicle, Thursday, May 18, 2006] ] "How to "Truck" the Brand: Lessons from the Grateful Dead", Glenn Rifkin, [http://www.strategy-business.com/press/16635507/9095 Strategy+Business media press, winter, 1997] ] In 1972, Shurtliff co-produced Jerry Garcia's Warner Bros. Records solo album, entitled simply "Garcia", along with Bob Matthews, Betty Cantor and Bill Kreutzmann."Obituaries: Lawrence Shurtliff", by Ken Hunt, [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20060529/ai_n16433271 Independent, The (London), May 29, 2006] ] [http://www.deaddisc.com/disc/Garcia_72.htm "Garcia" at The Grateful Dead Family Discography] ]

Shurtliff received his nickname "Ram Rod" from Neal Cassady of the Merry Pranksters, while traveling through Mexico with author Ken Kesey. "I am Ramon Rodriguez Rodriguez, the famous Mexican guide," he had boasted, and after he successfully "ramrodded" seven adults into a Volkswagen Bug, Cassady bestowed the nickname upon him." 'Ram Rod' was Dead's trusted crew chief," Paul Liberatore, [http://www.marinij.com/marin/ci_3836899 Marin Independent Journal, May 18, 2006] ]

An auction of Shurtliff's collection of Grateful Dead memorabilia by Bonhams & Butterfields Auctioneers in San Francisco on May 8, 2007, netted more than $1.1 million. The collection included a cream-colored Travis Bean electric guitar owned by Garcia that sold for $312,000."Ram Rod Auction Brings in Over $1.1 million " [http://www.relix.com/Features/Daily_News/Ram_Rod_Auction_Brings_in_Over_$1.1_million_200705092290.html Relix Magazine, Wednesday, 09 May 2007] ]

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