The American Beauty Project: Celebrating the Music of The Grateful Dead Friday, Oct. 15 at Duke University

The American Beauty Project: A Celebration of Music by The Grateful Dead featuring Americana group Ollabelle and special guests Jim Lauderdale, Catherine Russell, & Aoife O’Donovan will take place on Friday, October 15, at 8 pm in Page Auditorium on Duke University’s West Campus.

Launched in 2007, The American Beauty Project celebrates two landmark albums from The Grateful Dead canon: Working Man’s Dead and American Beauty, both of which mark that group’s turn towards a folk and country sound. Led by country/rock group Ollabelle—which is in turn led in part by Amy Helm, the daughter of The Band’s Levon Helm—The American Beauty Project has revealed a richness in The Grateful Dead’s songs which was sometimes lost in the aura of the band’s culture.

Ollabelle, formed in 2001, has released Ollabelle, Before This Time and most recently Riverside Battle Songs which was co-produced by Larry Campbell, former Bob Dylan sideman, for the Verve label. In addition to their work on The American Beauty Project, Ollabelle has frequently toured the United States and Europe and been featured at festivals including Newport Folk Festival and North Carolina’s legendary festival Merlefest.

Grammy and Americana Music Award winner Jim Lauderdale, born and raised in the Piedmont area of North Carolina, has released 19 solo albums since 1986. Having written hit songs for artists such as the Dixie Chicks and Patty Loveless and after collaborating with Elvis Costello, The Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter, and bluegrass legend Ralph Stanley, Lauderdale’s solo projects have found an increasing and enthusiastic following.

Generally thought of as a jazz and blues singer, Catherine Russell has also widely collaborated with artists such from Paul Simon, Rosanne Cash, David Bowie, and Steely Dan. Her third album for the Harmonia Mundi label, Inside this Heart of Mine, was released in the summer of 2010.

Lead vocalist for forward-looking bluegrass group Crooked Still, Aoife O’Donovan’s song “Lay My Burden Down,” as sung by Allison Krauss, was recently featured in the new Robert Duvall film Get Low.

American Beauty Project: A Celebration of Music by The Grateful Dead
Ollabelle with guests Jim Lauderdale, Catherine Russell, & Aoife O’Donovan
Friday, October 15, 8 pm
Page Auditorium, Duke University
$32 • $26 • $18 • Duke Students $5