As Haight-Ashbury devolved from a counterculture mecca to a commodified tourist haven, and the Grateful Dead searched for the perfect sound to complement their continued evolution, Ron "Pigpen" McKernan found that his musical contributions were becoming obsolete. It wasn't long before he had to face the fact that the he was finally losing control of the group he had created.

Sources:

A Long Strange Trip: The Inside Story of the Grateful Dead, by Dennis McNally

Living with The Dead: Twenty Years on the Bus with Garcia and the Grateful Dead, by Rock Scully with David Dalton

Searching for the Sound, by Phil Lesh

The Grateful Dead FAQ: All That’s Left to Know About the Greatest Jam Band in History, by Tony Sclafani

This Is All a Dream We Dreamed: An Oral History of the Grateful Dead, by Blair Jackson and David Gans

Grateful Dead Close Down Haight Street For Free Concert, On This Day In 1968 (Live for Live Music)

Jerry Garcia 1967 interview

Haight-Ashbury “Hippie Hop” bus

Grateful Dead: Anthem of the Sun and American Beauty (Classic Albums)

1967: Grateful Dead visit the Warnecke Ranch (Chalkhill Residency)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0iULSnZUkg

Grateful Dead's 'Anthem of the Sun': 10 Things You Didn't Know (Rolling Stone)

The 1967 letter from a record executive that said The Grateful Dead had "many problems" (Far Out)

Internet Archive Forums: 1968 - The Firing (part I)

Grateful Dead Guide: 1968 - The Firing (Dead Essays)

The moment when The Grateful Dead dosed the 'Playboy After Dark' crew (Far Out)

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Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse and many more musical icons all died at the age of 27. Scandalous, tortured, dramatic, and incredibly talented, these artists torched a wild path to their early graves and shifted and shaped our culture along the way. 27 Club tells their stories. 27 Club is hosted and created by Jake Brennan, host and creator of the award-winning music and true crime podcast DISGRACELAND. 27 Club is not a journalistic podcast. It is an entertainment podcast inspired by true events. For more shows like 27 Club, check out www.doubleelvis.com.