Habitual listeners of the Grateful Dead’s live recordings are known for their ability to identify the year of a performance by listening to just a few notes. But for even the most “dead”icated listener, the band’s 1976 New Year’s Eve concert presents a genuine challenge. Rarely does any Dead show display the essence of several distinct periods of their sound, but this release contains the best elements of three or four clearly defined eras, and the sum of the parts adds up to one of the most interesting and inspired concerts of the band’s 30-year performing career.

The Grateful Dead and Rhino Records ring in 2007 by turning back the clock 30 years to uncover the musical riches of this special performance with Live At The Cow Palace, New Year’s Eve, 1976.

The three-disc set includes more than 180 minutes of music capturing the Grateful Dead playing in their Bay Area backyard at the peak of the group’s live prowess and just a few months before the release of the band’s ninth studio album, Terrapin Station. The collection will be available January 23 at all regular retail outlets and at http://www.rhino.com

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So, if you would like to win one of these wonderful new CDs, and you seriously think you know all there is to know about the Band, just answer this easy question: From September 15, 1990 to March 24, 1992, Welnick was joined by someone rather famous in his own right (perhaps more now) on piano. This guy had previously appeared as an irregular sit-in player beginning in 1988 and continued as such from 1992 until 1995. So, who am I talking about?!

Send us your answers and if you're correct you'll be in the running to win one of these wonderful new CDs! Just send us an e:mail here before February 28th with your answer and the subject title CONTEST: GRATEFUL DEAD CD to: exclusivemagazine@flash.net

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