StealyourStats

Band member · core

Bill Kreutzmann

Drums

Years1965–1995

Shows2,328

Born1946

Mark●

⟶ View era · Europe '72▶ Play featured show

William Kreutzmann Jr.: the band's first drummer, only drummer for the first two years and the back half of the run. A swing-feel jazz player at heart, more Elvin Jones than Keith Moon, which is what let Garcia stretch song forms into thirty-minute conversations. Held the floor through every roster change. He retired to Hawai'i after decades of holding the floor and is the last surviving member of the Grateful Dead's original lineup.