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Donna Jean Thatcher Godchaux-MacKay (born August 22, 1947) is an American singer best known as a member of the rock band the Grateful Dead from 1972 to 1979. In addition to the Dead, she performed with the Jerry Garcia Band and the short-lived Heart of Gold Band, all alongside her first husband, Keith Godchaux. She formed the Donna Jean Godchaux Band in 2006.

Biography

Donna Jean Thatcher was born in Florence, Alabama. Prior to 1970, she had worked as a session singer^[1] in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, eventually singing with a group called Southern Comfort and appearing as a backup singer on at least two #1 hit songs: "When a Man Loves a Woman" by Percy Sledge in 1966 and "Suspicious Minds" by Elvis Presley in 1969. Her vocals were featured on other classic recordings by Boz Scaggs and Duane Allman, Cher, Joe Tex, Neil Diamond and many others.^[2][3] She then moved to California and met future fellow Grateful Dead member Keith Godchaux, whom she married in 1970.^[4]

Donna introduced Keith to Jerry Garcia after Garcia's performance at San Francisco's Keystone Korner in September 1971. At the time, Donna Jean was not working as a musician. She joined the band shortly afterwards, remaining a member until February 1979.^[5]

Donna Jean provided backing and lead vocals in the group's music. During their membership in the Grateful Dead, the couple also issued the mostly self-written Keith & Donna album in 1975 with Jerry Garcia as a Keith and Donna Band member. In turn, they performed as part of the Jerry Garcia Band. Godchaux possesses a mezzo-soprano vocal range.

Keith and Donna's son, Zion "Rock" Godchaux of BoomBox, was born in 1974. After the Grateful Dead, the couple started the Heart of Gold Band.

Donna did not perform again with any Grateful Dead band members until after the death of Jerry Garcia. Shortly after her husband's death in 1980, she married bassist David MacKay (former Fiddleworms member and bassist for the Donna Jean Godchaux Band) and the couple moved to her childhood town of Florence, Alabama, to record at the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio.^[6]

In 2006, Donna formed Kettle Joe's Psychedelic Swamp Revue, later known as Donna Jean & the Tricksters, with Jeff Mattson (of Phil Lesh and Friends, Zen Tricksters, and Dark Star Orchestra) and Mookie Siegel (of David Nelson Band, Phil Lesh and Friends, and Ratdog). They changed their name to the Donna Jean Godchaux Band in 2009.^[7] She occasionally makes guest appearances with Bob Weir & RatDog, Zero & Steve Kimock, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Dark Star Orchestra and Dead & Company. She also continues to be involved in archival Grateful Dead projects.^[8]

Donna was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Grateful Dead in 1994,^[9] and was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in 2016.^[10] She resides in Killen, Alabama, and remains an active member of the Muscle Shoals music scene when not touring with the Donna Jean Godchaux Band.

Discography

As group leader or co-leader

• Keith & Donna – Keith and Donna Godchaux – 1975
• Playing in the Heart of Gold Band – The Ghosts – 1984
• The Heart of Gold Band – The Heart of Gold Band – 1986
• Donna Jean – The Donna Jean Band – 1998
• At the Table – The Heart of Gold Band – 2004
• Donna Jean and the Tricksters – Donna Jean and the Tricksters – 2008
• Back Around – Donna Jean Godchaux Band with Jeff Mattson – 2014
• "Shelter" (single remix) – Donna Jean and the Tricksters – 2021^[11]

With the Grateful Dead

Donna Godchaux was a member of the Grateful Dead from 1972 to 1979 and appears on many of the band's albums.^[12]

With other artists

Donna Godchaux (née Donna Thatcher) has contributed background or lead vocals on many albums by different artists.^[13]

Singles

• "When a Man Loves a Woman" / "Love Me Like You Mean It" – Percy Sledge – 1966
• "Suspicious Minds" / "You'll Think of Me" – Elvis Presley – 1969

Videos

• Muscle Shoals – various artists – 2013
• Move Me Brightly – various artists – 2013

Albums

• From Elvis in Memphis – Elvis Presley – 1969
• From Memphis to Vegas/From Vegas to Memphis – Elvis Presley – 1969
• 3614 Jackson Highway – Cher – 1969
• Boz Scaggs – Boz Scaggs – 1969
• Ton-Ton Macoute! – Johnny Jenkins – 1970
• Ace – Bob Weir – 1972
• Demon in Disguise – David Bromberg – 1972
• Gypsy Cowboy – New Riders of the Purple Sage – 1972
• The Adventures of Panama Red – New Riders of the Purple Sage – 1973
• Tales of the Great Rum Runners – Robert Hunter – 1974
• Tiger Rose – Robert Hunter – 1975
• Reflections – Jerry Garcia – 1976
• Cats Under the Stars – Jerry Garcia Band – 1977
• Here Goes Nothing – Zero – 1987
• Laughing Water – Jazz Is Dead – 1999
• Don't Let Go – Jerry Garcia Band – 2001
• Worcester, MA, 4/4/73 – New Riders of the Purple Sage – 2003
• Pure Jerry: Theatre 1839, San Francisco, July 29 & 30, 1977 – Jerry Garcia Band – 2004
• Pure Jerry: Warner Theatre, March 18, 1978 – Jerry Garcia Band – 2005
• For Rex: The Black Tie Dye Ball – The Zen Tricksters and various artists – 2006
• Pure Jerry: Bay Area 1978 – Jerry Garcia Band – 2009
• Garcia Live Volume Four – Jerry Garcia Band – 2014
• Garcia Live Volume Seven – Jerry Garcia Band – 2016
• Garcia Live Volume 17 – Jerry Garcia Band – 2021
• Garcia Live Volume 21 – Jerry Garcia Band – 2024

See also

• Muscle Shoals, Alabama
• FAME Studios
• Muscle Shoals Sound Studios

References

External links

• Donna Jean Godchaux Band with Jeff Mattson official website Archived March 31, 2022, at the Wayback Machine
• Grateful Dead official website
• The Music Never Stopped: The Musical Journey of Donna Jean Godcheaux-McKay From honesttune.com.
• Donna Jean Godchaux Interview at NAMM Oral History Collection (2017)
• Donna Jean Godchaux discography at Discogs