‘DelFest Does Dead’: 10 Festival Favorites Honor the Grateful Dead with Exclusive Covers Record
Since its celebrated debut in 2008, DelFest has earned recognition as a standard bearer in the bluegrass festival circuit. Year after year, the beloved event and its founder, the great Del McCoury, welcome a litany of high-profile acts in country, folk, traditional music and everything in between, uniting iconic forebearers and innovators of the next generation for an all-encompassing Americana celebration. At its 16th annual presentation, which lit up Cumberland, Md., from May 22-25, DelFest spotlighted the legacy of a band that has guided new and old bluegrass forerunners alike: The Grateful Dead.
Today, in partnership with DelFest, Relix has unveiled DelFest Does Dead, a new exclusive vinyl release compiling all the unforgettable tributes to the original jam band that artists brought to the Allegany County Fairgrounds in 2025. The Dead’s indelible influence radiated from a total of 10 treatments of certified classics, delivered by some of the festival’s biggest names and most promising newcomers. Ranging from the time-honored traditional sound of Appalachia’s heartfelt harmonies to the fevered, jam-inflected quick picking of bluegrass’ progressive torchbearers, the tributes were curated by producers Ronnie McCoury and Ariel Rosemberg and mastered by Jesse Lauter.
DefFest Does Dead features two LPs pressed in shades of brown and peach to match the festival’s distinctive style. Key contributions include the Del McCoury Band’s “Cold, Rain & Snow,” Leftover Salmon’s “New Speedway Boogie,” Railroad Earth’s “Terrapin Station,” The Travelin’ McCourys’ “Cumberland Blues,” Sister Sadie’s “Touch of Grey” and Kitchen Dwellers’ “St. Stephen,” plus more from Darrell Scott, Mountain Grass Unit, Clay Street Unit and The Price Sisters. A portion of the album’s proceeds will benefit the Rex Foundation, established by members of the Grateful Dead in 1983 and still committed to furthering arts education and various social and environmental missions.
DelFest Does Dead is set to arrive on Dec. 8 and is available to pre-order now. Secure yours exclusively at relix.shop, and read on for the album’s full tracklist.
DelFest Does Dead:
Side A
Cold, Rain & Snow – Del McCoury Band
New Speedway Boogie – Leftover Salmon
St. Stephen – Kitchen Dwellers
Side B
Cumberland Blues – The Travelin’ McCourys
Big River – Darrell Scott
Touch of Grey – Sister Sadie
Side C
Terrapin Station – Railroad Earth
Brown Eyed Women – Mountain Grass Unit
Side D
I Know You Rider – Clay Street Unit
Ripple – The Price Sisters
