Deadheads forever: The long legacy of the Grateful Dead's fan community

NPR | By Isabella Gomez Sarmiento

Published August 7, 2026 at 4:24 PM EDT

As part of NPR Music's series The Ripple Effect, Isabella Gomez Sarmiento speaks with Deadheads young and old, including famous followers like reality TV host Andy Cohen, who saw his first Grateful Dead show as a teenager in 1986, and young fans just discovering the band -- and passing on their appreciation to others.

Isabella Gomez Sarmiento

Isabella Gomez Sarmiento is a reporter with NPR Music.

See stories by Isabella Gomez Sarmiento

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