Photo: Jay Blakesberg

The California-bred singer-songwriter looks back on his years “Gone Wanderin’” with Phil Lesh.

Becoming Friends with Phil

I had a song called “I’m So Gone” that was being played on KFOG in San Francisco fairly regularly around 2006. Phil heard it that way [while waiting in the car to pick up one of his sons]. He came to see us play at Bonnaroo, I met him and we became friends shortly after that. I was living in San Francisco at the time and his place was just a short drive, so we spent a lot of time jamming. He would teach me songs, we’d listen to cool music I’d never heard before, and I became involved in Phil & Friends in 2007. It was a really special time for me.

I was surface-level familiar with the Dead. I knew who they were, but I only knew a handful of songs by name. Once I started digging in, I quickly realized so much of it was right in my wheelhouse—blues, folk. The kind of stuff people call “Americana” now was all right there and it really resonated with me.

The way Phil plays is unique to him. It’s unique to his ear and sense of music. He has a classical background, but I don’t think that’s totally it. There’s a playfulness and an imagination at work that’s totally unique. Anybody who plays with him knows what I mean—it’s just Phil.

Phil could also craft a narrative with a setlist. They all kind of blend together at this point. But I remember that, before every show, we’d “talk down” the set list in a huddle, and that’s when Phil would describe how he imagined us transitioning between songs— how we would get out of this jam and into another.

Phil & Friends’ Philathon

When putting together the version of Phil & Friends I was in, I think, overall, he wanted it to feel fresh. [Greene was a member of a steady incarnation of Phil & Friends that also included guitarist/fiddler Larry Campbell, drummer John Molo, keyboardist Steve Molitz and vocalist Teresa Williams in 2007 and 2008.] On occasion, we’d reference a historical Dead show. But for most part, we were constantly learning new songs—new for me at least—to add to the set. We did a couple runs at what was then called the Nokia Theatre in Manhattan—something ridiculous, like 16 nights at the Philathon. The goal was to do no repeats. [Laughs.] We couldn’t quite pull it off, but we came close. I remember we rehearsed for that run for a week straight, and we probably learned 50-60 songs.

One of the things that made Phil such a good band leader was his patience. If somebody was having trouble with the part, then he could work through it and have both the ear and the patience to get it right. Rehearsals could be long and hard work, but Phil was old school and knew that it paid off at the show.

During our residency at the Nokia, Phil took Molo, Molitz and me to Carnegie Hall to see the Vienna Philharmonic perform Mahler. He was adamant we come. So, we all dressed up in suits and went to Carnegie Hall. I’d never heard music like that before. Sure, I like classical music, but a performance in a place like that was something else.

During that same run, he and I went over one night and jammed with the Tangiers Blues Band, which is the photographer Danny Clinch’s band, [at the intimate space R-Bar]. Phil was just as confident and comfortable in that situation as any—truly one of the most unique and versatile musicians I’ve ever met.

He was always laying cool music on me though. I got into Roland Kirk after Phil gave me a box set for Christmas one year.

Safe in the Hands of the Next Generation

Phil definitely wanted to pass down the music to the next generation. He brought the music to me and I’ll certainly keep singing those songs. I also think the Dead songbook is safe in the hands of the next generation. It’s not really corruptible, the songs are just too good. My instinct is that the music will continue to inspire the young musicians that discover it.

“Unbroken Chain”

How Phil ended up officiating my wedding is a long story, but let’s just say that Phil and Jill were both extremely supportive during a time when I was pitifully attempting to court my now wife. It all worked out in the end, but there were definitely some rough moments. [Laughs.] We got married at Terrapin Crossroads and Jill really made it happen. She can sure throw a party. She also put together my 27th birthday show at the Warfield with Phil. Phil became an ordained minister online and was able to marry us. It was a blast—my bride walked down the aisle to “Unbroken Chain.”

There were so many good shows at Terrapin, it’s hard to pick out anything specific [as a favorite gig there]. I’ve met a lot of great musicians through that scene. Anders Osborne and I met for the first time at Terrapin and now we’re thick as thieves.

And watching Grahame and Brian play music with their dad was such a treat. The grin on Phil’s face could light up the city. Of all the cool moments, those are my favorite—family stuff, you know? Phil was a famous rock star, but he was also a great father. To witness that love is a blessing.