Hear The National, War on Drugs, Jenny Lewis, and others play the Grateful Dead

For several years, The National's Bryce and Aaron Dessner have been collecting musical tributes to the Grateful Dead by a variety of their fave artists, from Sharon Van Etten to the Flaming Lips to Real Estate. Finally, the long-anticipated set, Day of the Dead, will be out May 20.

It's a 59-track, six-hour box set (tracklist below) benefiting the HIV/AIDS organization Red Hot. For now, enjoy these lovely selections just released as a preview! My favorite of the five so far is The National's cover of "Morning Dew," a song penned in 1961 by Bonnie Dobson and later popularized by the Dead.


Day of the Dead (Amazon)











Day of the Dead:


Touch of Grey • The War on Drugs

Sugaree • Phosphorescent, Jenny Lewis & Friends

Candyman • Jim James & Friends

Cassidy • Moses Sumney, Jenny Lewis & Friends

Black Muddy River • Bruce Hornsby & De Yarmond Edison

Loser • Ed Droste, Binki Shapiro & Friends

Peggy-O • The National

Box of Rain • Kurt Vile and the Violators (featuring J Mascis)

Rubin & Cherise • Bonnie 'Prince' Billy & Friends

To Lay Me Down • Perfume Genius, Sharon Van Etten & Friends

New Speedway Boogie • Courtney Barnett

Friend of the Devil • Mumford and Sons

Uncle John's Band • Lucius

Me and My Uncle • The Lone Bellow & Friends

Mountains of the Moon • Lee Ranaldo, Lisa Hannigan & Friends

Black Peter • Anohni and yMusic

Garcia Counterpoint • Bryce Dessner

Terrapin Station (Suite) • Daniel Rossen, Christopher Bear & The National (featuring Josh Kaufman, Conrad Doucette, So Percussion & Brooklyn Youth Chorus)

Attics of My Life • Angel Olsen

St. Stephen • Wilco with Bob Weir (live)

If I Had the World to Give • Bonnie 'Prince' Billy

Standing on the Moon • Phosphorescent & Friends

Cumberland Blues • Charles Bradley and Menahan Street Band

Ship of Fools • The Tallest Man On Earth & Friends

Bird Song • Bonnie 'Prince' Billy & Friends

Morning Dew • The National

Truckin' • Marijuana Death Squads

Dark Star • Cass McCombs, Joe Russo & Friends

Nightfall of Diamonds • Nightfall of Diamonds

Transitive Refraction Axis for John Oswald • Tim Hecker

Going Down The Road Feeling Bad • Lucinda Williams & Friends

Playing in the Band • Tunde Adebimpe, Lee Ranaldo & Friends

Stella Blue • Local Natives

Eyes of the World • Tal National

Help On The Way • Béla Fleck

Franklin's Tower • Orchestra Baobab

Til the Morning Comes • Luluc with Xylouris White

Ripple • The Walkmen

Brokedown Palace • Richard Reed Parry with Caroline Shaw and Little Scream (featuring Garth Hudson)

Here Comes Sunshine • Real Estate

Shakedown Street • Unknown Mortal Orchestra

Brown-Eyed Women • Hiss Golden Messenger

Jack-A-Roe • This Is The Kit

High Time • Daniel Rosen and Christopher Bear

Dire Wolf • The Lone Bellow & Friends

Althea • Winston Marshall, Kodiak Blue and Shura

Clementine Jam • Orchestra Baobab

China Cat Sunflower · I Know You Rider • Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks

Easy Wind • Bill Callahan

Wharf Rat • Ira Kaplan & Friends

Estimated Prophet • The Rileys

Drums · Space • Man Forever / So Percussion / Onieda

Cream Puff War • Fucked Up

Dark Star • The Flaming Lips

What's Become of the Baby • s t a r g a z e

King Solomon's Marbles • Vijay Iyer

Rosemary • Mina Tindle & Friends

And We Bid You Goodnight • Sam Amidon

I Know You Rider • The National with Bob Weir (live)