Grateful Dead and the Rolling Stones tour manager Sam Cutler, 80, dies after a nearly decade-long battle with cancer at his home in Brisbane
Sam Cutler, a former tour manager for the Rolling Stones and Grateful Dead, passed away Tuesday at his home in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, after a nearly decade-long battle with cancer.
His death comes as Dead & Company, the current iteration of the Grateful Dead, are set to play their final show ever in San Francisco tonight.
The band released a statement on Twitter, writing: ‘His spirit, passion & creativity left indelible marks on the Grateful Dead & the world of music.’
Cutler’s long and illustrious career began when he was just 20-years-old and acted as the master of ceremonies for the Rolling Stones free concert in Hyde Park on July 5, 1969.
At the time, he uttered the now infamous phrase, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, the greatest rock ‘n’ roll band in the world!’
Sad: Sam Cutler, a former tour manager for the Rolling Stones and Grateful Dead, passed away Tuesday at his home in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, after a nearly decade-long battle with cancer (seen in 2010 with Ramblin’ Jack Elliott and Grateful Dead lyricist John Perry Barlow)
Cutler released his memoir You Can’t Always Get What You Want: My Life with the Rolling Stones, the Grateful Dead and Other Wonderful Reprobates in 2011.
He revealed in the book that he decided to stay in California after the Rolling Stones Oakland show that resulted in the tragedy at the Altamont Free Festival in December 1969.
During the show, an 18-year-old fan was stabbed to death by a Hell’s Angel and three other concertgoers also died in accidents leading the event to go down as one of the greatest tragedies in rock n roll.
Despite this incident which changed the trajectory of both bands, Cutler decided to stay in the U.S. with just $300 in his pocket.
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