The California singer-songwriter leans into his Golden State roots for a faithful rendition of the Grateful Dead song
Logan Ledger has a new album of original material coming later this year, but in a bit of spontaneity the California singer-songwriter puts his own spin on a cover of the Grateful Dead’s “Ripple.”
A track off the Dead’s 1970 American Beauty album, “Ripple” was written by Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter; Garcia handled vocals on the recording. Here, Ledger remains faithful to the original, with producer Shooter Jennings creating a warm, easygoing soundscape.
“I’ve long been a fan of the songs of Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter. To me, Robert Hunter is basically the poet laureate of Marin County or something. ‘Ripple’ is, of course, one of the Dead’s best known songs, and it has a kind of archaic zen folk mystery to it that I dig,” Ledger says in a statement.
According to Ledger, he was recording his album with Jennings at Sunset Sound in L.A. when he began singing “Ripple” in the booth. Jennings encouraged him to cut it, and they did.
“I’m very fond of the recording we made together — the way Shooter’s piano weaves in gracefully just for that one little section, Nick Bockrath’s tremolo part which evokes David Grisman’s mandolin on the original, Russ Pahl’s blanket of hippie steel, Frank Rische’s beautiful harmony. It reminds me of home,” Ledger says.
Ledger’s last album, his self-titled 2020 debut, found him working with producer T Bone Burnett. Currently on tour, he’ll play Stagecoach festival in Indio, California, on April 29, and the Basement in Nashville on June 29.