Ace (Bob Weir album)

Ace was the first solo album by Grateful Dead rhythm guitarist Bob Weir, released in 1972.

Its origins come from an offer by the Dead's Warner Bros. Records label to have band members cut their own solo records, and came out at the same time as Jerry Garcia's Garcia and Mickey Hart's Rolling Thunder. In the case of Ace, Weir's backing band was essentially the Dead itself (minus Ron "Pigpen" McKernan), and all songs except "Walk in the Sunshine" became concert staples of the Dead. In a way, Ace and Garcia can be considered Dead studio albums during a live album era that included Skull & Roses and Europe '72.

"Greatest Story Ever Told" and "Playing In The Band" also appears on Hart's Rolling Thunder, as "The Pump Song" and "The Main Ten" respectively, both of which were also sung by Weir.

Track listing

Side One

1. "Greatest Story Ever Told" (Weir, Hart, Hunter) – 3:43
2. "Black-Throated Wind" (Weir, Barlow) – 5:42
3. "Walk in the Sunshine" (Weir, Barlow) – 3:05
4. "Playing in the Band" (Weir, Hart, Hunter) – 7:38

Side Two

1. "Looks Like Rain" (Weir, Barlow) – 6:12
2. "Mexicali Blues" (Weir, Barlow) – 3:28
3. "One More Saturday Night" (Weir) – 4:31
4. "Cassidy" (Weir, Barlow) – 3:41

Personnel

• Bob Weir – Lead Vocals, Electric and Acoustic Guitars
• Jerry Garcia – Lead Guitar, Pedal Steel Guitar on "Looks Like Rain", Backup Vocals on "Greatest Story Ever Told"
• Phil Lesh – Bass Guitar, Backup Vocals on "Mexicali Blues"
• Bill Kreutzmann – Drums, Percussion
• Keith Godchaux – Piano, Organ
• Donna Jean Godchaux – Backup Vocals on "Greatest Story Ever Told", "Walk In The Sunshine", "Playing In The Band", and "Cassidy".
• Dave Torbert – Bass Guitar on "Greatest Story Ever Told"
• Snooky Flowers, Luis Gasca, and the Space Rangers – Horns on "Black-Throated Wind", "Mexicali Blues", and "One More Saturday Night"
• Ed Bogus – String Arrangements on "Looks Like Rain"

References