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Pigpen (Ron McKernan) Discography

Pigpen was a founder member of the Grateful Dead. He performed and recorded with the Dead from 1965 through to June 1972 when failing health finally prevented him from performing. Though recording sessions for at least one solo Pigpen album took place no such album was ever released. Some songs from these sessions circulate on tape. Therefore Pigpen's appearances on recordings are restricted to his studio and live sessions with the Grateful Dead and one archive release of a live show by the pre-Dead group Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions.

Additions, corrections and comments are welcome


Recordings: albums, singles and compilations

info Single: Stealin' / Don't Ease Me In, Grateful Dead, 1966
info The Grateful Dead, Grateful Dead, 1967
info Single: The Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion) / Cream Puff War, Grateful Dead, 1967
info Anthem Of The Sun, Grateful Dead, 1968
info Single: Dark Star / Born Cross-Eyed, Grateful Dead, 1968
info Aoxomoxoa, Grateful Dead, 1969
info Single: Dupree's Diamond Blues / Cosmic Charlie, Grateful Dead, 1969
info Live/Dead, Grateful Dead, 1969
info Workingman's Dead, Grateful Dead, 1970
info Single: Uncle John's Band / New Speedway Boogie, Grateful Dead, 1970
info American Beauty, Grateful Dead, 1970
info Single: Truckin' / Ripple, Grateful Dead, 1971
info Grateful Dead, Grateful Dead, 1971
info Europe '72, Grateful Dead, 1972
info Single: Johnny B. Goode / So Fine, Grateful Dead / Elvin Bishop Group, 1972
info Single: Johnny B. Goode / Truckin', Grateful Dead, 1972
info Single: Sugar Magnolia / Mr. Charlie, Grateful Dead, 1972
info History Of The Grateful Dead, Vol. 1 (Bear's Choice), Grateful Dead, 1973
info Skeletons From The Closet, Grateful Dead, 1974
info Single: Truckin' / Sugar Magnolia, Grateful Dead, 1974?
info The Grateful Dead / Anthem Of The Sun, Grateful Dead, 1976?
info What A Long Strange Trip It's Been, Grateful Dead, 1977
info American Beauty / Workingman's Dead, Grateful Dead, 198?
info Two From The Vault, Grateful Dead, 1992
info Grayfolded : Transitive Axis, Grateful Dead / John Oswald, 1994
info Grayfolded : Mirror Ashes, Grateful Dead / John Oswald, 1995
info Grayfolded, Grateful Dead / John Oswald, 1996
info Dick's Picks, Vol. 4, Grateful Dead, 1996
info Dick's Picks, Vol. 8, Grateful Dead, 1997
info Fillmore East 2.11.69, Grateful Dead, 1997
info Fallout From The Phil Zone, Grateful Dead, 1997
info Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions, Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions, 1998
info So Many Roads (1965-1995) , Grateful Dead, 1999
info So Many Roads Sampler, Grateful Dead, 1999
info Dick's Picks, Vol. 16, Grateful Dead, 2000
info Best Of The Grateful Dead Hour, Grateful Dead, 2000
info Ladies and Gentlemen ... The Grateful Dead, Grateful Dead, 2000
info Dick's Picks, Vol. 22, Grateful Dead, 2001
info The Golden Road (1965-1973), Grateful Dead, 2001
info Steppin' Out with the Grateful Dead: England '72, Grateful Dead, July 2002
info Dick's Picks, Vol. 26, Grateful Dead, 2002
info Dick's Picks, Vol. 30, Grateful Dead, 2003
info Birth Of The Dead, Grateful Dead, 2003
info The Very Best Of The Grateful Dead, Grateful Dead, 2003
info Rockin' The Rhein, Grateful Dead, 2004
info Weir Here: The Best Of Bob Weir, Bob Weir, 2004
info Rare Cuts and Oddities 1966, Grateful Dead, 2005
info Dick's Picks, Vol. 35, Grateful Dead, 2005
info Grateful Dead Download Series Vol. 6: 3/17/68, Grateful Dead, 2005
info Fillmore West 1969: The Complete Recordings, Grateful Dead, Nov 2005
info Fillmore West 1969: Compilation, Grateful Dead, 2005
info Trilogy, Grateful Dead, 2005
info Three From The Vault, Grateful Dead, 2007
info Road Trips: Vol 1, Number 3: Summer 1971, Grateful Dead, 2008
info Road Trips: Vol 2, Number 2: Feb 14, 1968, Carousel Ballroom, Grateful Dead, 2009
info Road Trips: Vol 3, Number 3: Fillmore East, 5/15/70, Grateful Dead, 2010
info Road Trips: Vol 4, Number 1: Big Rock Pow Wow 69, Grateful Dead, 2010
info Europe '72, The Complete Recordings, Grateful Dead, 2011
info Europe '72, Vol. 2, Grateful Dead, 2011
info Europe '72: Wembley Empire Pool, London, England, 4/7/1972, Grateful Dead, 2011
info Europe '72: Wembley Empire Pool, London, England, 4/8/1972, Grateful Dead, 2011
info Europe '72: City Hall, Newcastle, England, 4/11/1972, Grateful Dead, 2011
info Europe '72: Tivoli Concert Hall, Copenhagen, Denmark, 4/14/1972, Grateful Dead, 2011
info Europe '72: Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark, 4/16/1972, Grateful Dead, 2011
info Europe '72: Tivoli Concert Hall, Copenhagen, Denmark, 4/17/1972, Grateful Dead, 2011
info Europe '72: Beat Club, Bremen, West Germany, 4/21/1972, Grateful Dead, 2011
info Europe '72: Rheinhalle, Dusseldorf, West Germany, 4/24/1972, Grateful Dead, 2011
info Europe '72: Jahrhundert Halle, Frankfurt, West Germany, 4/26/1972, Grateful Dead, 2011
info Europe '72: Musikhalle, Hamburg, West Germany, 4/29/1972, Grateful Dead, 2011
info Europe '72: Olympia Theatre, Paris, France, 5/3/1972, Grateful Dead, 2011
info Europe '72: Olympia Theatre, Paris, France, 5/4/1972, Grateful Dead, 2011
info Winterland 30th May 1971, Grateful Dead, 2012
info Dave's Picks Volume 6: San Francisco 12/20/69 & St. Louis 2/2/70, Grateful Dead, 2013
info Dave's Picks Bonus CD 2013, Grateful Dead, 2013
info Family Dog at the Great Highway, 4/18/70, Grateful Dead, 2013
info Birth Of The Dead, Volume One (The Studio Sessions), Grateful Dead, 2013
info Birth Of The Dead, Volume Two (The Live Sides), Grateful Dead, 2014
info Dave's Picks Volume 10: Thelma, Los Angeles, CA 12/12/69, Grateful Dead, 2014
info Dave's Picks Bonus CD 2014, Grateful Dead, 2014
info The Best Of The Grateful Dead, 2015
info Dave's Picks Volume 14: Academy Of Music, NYC, 3/26/72, Grateful Dead, 2015
info Dave's Picks Bonus CD 2015, Grateful Dead, 2015
info Ramble On Rose, Grateful Dead, 2015
info Shrine Exposition Hall, Los Angeles, CA 11/10/1967, Grateful Dead, 2016
info Dave's Picks Volume 19: Honolulu, 1/23/70, Grateful Dead, 2016
info The Grateful Dead (50th Anniversary LP and deluxe CD), Grateful Dead, 2017
info Stealin' / Don't Ease Me In, Grateful Dead, 2017
info July 29, 1966, Grateful Dead, 2017
info Long Strange Trip, Grateful Dead, 2017
info Long Strange Trip: Highlights From The Motion Picture Soundtrack, Grateful Dead, 2017
info Smiling On A Cloudy Day, Grateful Dead, 2017
info Dave's Picks Volume 22: New York, 12/7/71, Grateful Dead, 2017
info Dave's Picks Bonus CD 2017, Grateful Dead, 2017
info Fillmore West 1969: February 27th, Grateful Dead, 2018
info The Best Of The Grateful Dead Live, 2018
info Dave's Picks Volume 26: Albuquerque, 11/17/71, Grateful Dead, 2018
info Dave's Picks Bonus CD 2018, Grateful Dead, 2018
info Anthem Of The Sun (50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition), Grateful Dead, 2018
info Sage And Spirit, Grateful Dead, 2019
info Dave's Picks Volume 30: Fillmore East, 2/1/70, Grateful Dead, 2019
info Dave's Picks Bonus CD 2019, Grateful Dead, 2019
info Fillmore West 1969: February 28th, Grateful Dead, 2019
info Aoxomoxoa (50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition), Grateful Dead, 2019
info The Story Of The Grateful Dead, Grateful Dead, 2020
info Workingmans Dead (50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition), Grateful Dead, 2020
info Workingmans Dead (50th Anniversary LP), Grateful Dead, 2020
info American Beauty: The Angel's Share, Grateful Dead, 2020
info American Beauty 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition, Grateful Dead, 2020
info American Beauty 50th Anniv. Picture Disc LP, Grateful Dead, 2020
info American Beauty 50th Anniv. Colored Vinyl LP, Grateful Dead, 2020
info Fire On The Mountain Soundtrack, Grateful Dead, 2020
info Grateful Dead Origins: Deluxe Edition LP
info Grateful Dead (Skull & Roses) 50th Anniversary Expanded Edition, Grateful Dead, 2021
info Olympia Theatre, Paris, France, 5/3/1972, Grateful Dead, 2021
info Fox Theatre, St. Louis, MO 12/10/71, Grateful Dead, 2021
info Listen to the River: St. Louis '71 '72 '73, Grateful Dead, 2021
info Fillmore West 1969: March 1st, Grateful Dead, 2022
info From The Bay To The Pool: Live 1971-1978, Grateful Dead, 2022
info Wembley Empire Pool, London, England, 4/8/1972, Grateful Dead, 2022
info Dave's Picks Volume 43: San Francisco, 11/2/69 / Dallas, 12/26/69, Grateful Dead, 2022
info Wembley Empire Pool, London, England, 4/7/1972, Grateful Dead, 2022
info Dave's Picks Volume 48 Pauley Pavilion, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 11/20/71, Grateful Dead, 2023

Recordings: on various artist compilations

The Grateful Dead tracks on the following compilations are taken from albums that featured Pigpen. Pigpen did not contribute to all album tracks therefore he may not play on some of the tracks noted here.

info New Rock Special, Various Artists, 1968
info The 1969 Warner/Reprise Record Show, Various Artists, 1969
info Tenth Anniversary Albums, Various Artists, 1969?
info Some Of Our Best Friends, Various Artists, 1969
info The Sound of Today and Tomorrow, Various Artists, 1969
info Zabriskie Point Soundtrack, Various Artists, 1970
info The Big Ball, Various Artists, 1970
info Alternatives, Various Artists, 1970
info Looney Tunes Merrie Melodies, Various Artists, 1971
info KYA 1260 Great Ripoff Album, Various Artists, 1971
info Fillmore : The Last Days, Various Artists, 1972
info Glastonbury Fayre, Various Artists, 1972
info Fruity, Various Artists, 1972
info Superstars of the 70's, Various Artists, 1973
info Superstars of the 70's, Volume 2: Heavy Metal, Various Artists, 1974
info Superstars of the 70's, Volume 4: Silver Bullets, Various Artists, 1975
info The Rock Revelation, Various Artists, 1975
info Goodies, Vol. 1, Various Artists, 197?
info Rockmusik, Various Artists, 1978
info The History Of Rock, Volume 23, Various Artists, 1984
info Mask (Soundtrack), Various Artists, 1985
info Rock Anthems, Various Artists, 1986
info Highs of the 70's, Vol. 1, Various Artists, 1987
info Rude Awakening Soundtrack, Various Artists, 1989
info Rock Goes To The Movies - Vol. 1, Various Artists, 1990
info Rock Goes To The Movies - In Dreams, Various Artists, 1992
info The Rolling Stone Collection - 25 Years of Essential Rock, Various Artists, 1994
info The Rolling Stone Collection - 1969-1970, Various Artists, 1994
info 10 Great Artists, 10 Great Songs, Various Artists, 1995
info Classic Rock, Various Artists, 1996
info More Sun Splashin' - 16 Hot Summer Hits!, Various Artists, 1997
info Zabriskie Point Soundtrack (Extended double CD version), Various Artists, 1997
info Mellow Rock Hits Of The '70s: Ventura Highway, Various Artists, 1997
info The Power Of Rock - 16 Classic Rock Hits, Various Artists, 1997
info Guitars On Mars - Ocean of Sound, Vol. 4, Various Artists, 1997
info The Gold & Platinum Collection, Various Artists, 1997
info Soft Rock Classics, Various Artists, 1998
info The Number Ones - Classic Rock, Various Artists, 1998
info The Country-Rockin' Trust Presents...Take It Easy, Various Artists, 1998
info Feel The Buzz - Spacin', Various Artists, 1998
info Feel The Buzz - No Pain, Various Artists, 1998
info Great Expectations (Soundtrack), Various Artists, 1998
info Bikini.Com: More Summer Groovin', Various Artists, 1999
info Hard Rock Cafe, Various Artists, 1999
info A Walk On The Moon (Soundtrack), Various Artists, 1999
info Guitar Rock Collection - The Early 70s, Various Artists, 199?
info Guitar Rock Collection - 1970-1971, Various Artists, 199?
info Sounds of the Seventies: 1970, Various Artists, 199?
info Sounds of the Seventies: 1971, Various Artists, 199?
info Sounds of the Seventies: FM Rock Vol. 1, Various Artists, 199?
info Sounds of the Seventies: FM Rock Vol. 2, Various Artists, 199?
info 20th Century Noise: A Millennial Soundtrack, Various Artists, 2000
info Rolling Stone: The 70's California Sound, Various Artists, 2001
info Into The Music: Jam Band, Vol. 1, Various Artists, 2001
info Hot Hits, Various Artists, 2001
info Singers & Songwriters: Mid '70s, Various Artists, 2001
info Singers & Songwriters: 1970-1974, Various Artists, 2001
info Singers & Songwriters: 1969-1972, Various Artists, 2001
info Singers & Songwriters: 1970-1971, Various Artists, 2001
info Rolling Stone Presents: The Early Years, Various Artists, 2002
info Desperado: The Best Of Country Rock, Various Artists, 2002
info Taken (TV series soundtrack), Various Artists, 2003
info Road Rock, Various Artists, 2003
info Legends: Crank It Up, Various Artists, 2003
info Legends: Pluggin' In, Various Artists, 2003
info Legends: Get It On, Various Artists, 2003
info Guitar Rock: Smokin' 60's, Various Artists, 2003
info Hippie: Music from the '60s Generation, Various Artists, 2004
info 16 Super Hits, Various Artists, 2004
info Ultimate 16: Power Of Rock, Various Artists, 2005
info California Dreaming: 40 of the Finest West Coast Classics, Various Artists, 2007
info A Night At The Family Dog DVD, Various Artists, 2007
info Love Is The Song We Sing: San Francisco Nuggets 1965-1970, Various Artists, 2007
info Revolutions In Sound: Warner Bros. Records: The First Fifty Years (10 CD), Various Artists, 2008
info Revolutions In Sound: Warner Bros. Records: The First Fifty Years (USB), Various Artists, 2008
info Moondust: In Search of the Men Who Fell to Earth, Various Artists, 2009
info The Music Never Stopped: Music From The Motion Picture, Various Artists, 2011
info The Old Grey Whistle Test: Country, Various Artists, 2011
info Sunset Strip To Haight-Ashbury, Various Artists, 2012
info 60's Music Revolution, Various Artists, 2012
info 70s: The Collection, Various Artists, 2012
info Halloween: Music From The Dark Side, Various Artists, 2013
info Legends: Get It On, Various Artists, 2014
info Legends: Crank It Up (SACD), Various Artists, 2014
info Truckers, Kickers, Cowboy Angels: The Blissed-Out Birth of Country Rock Vol. 3: 1970, Various Artists, 2015

Albums that include cover versions of Pigpen compositions

info Those Who Know History Are Doomed To Repeat It, Henry Kaiser, 1988
info Fresh Tracks In Real Time, Tom Constanten, 1989
info Heart's Desire, The Henry Kaiser Band, 1990
info Knot Live, Slipknot!, 1991
info Nightfall Of Diamonds, Tom Constanten, 1992
info Relix Bay Rock Shop No. 2, Various Artists, 1992
info A Historical Retrospective, Solar Circus, 1993
info Dead Ringers, Dead Ringers, 1994
info Cover The Songs Of..., The Bobs, 1994
info The Infinite Summer Of Love, Various Artists (The Beast), 1994
info Eternity Blue, Henry Kaiser, 1995
info Dark Star - The Music of the Grateful Dead, David Murray, 1996
info Pickin' On The Grateful Dead, Various Artists, 1997
info Space Debris, Space Debris, 1997
info Welcome To Our World (For Members Only), JGB, 1998
info Blue Light Rain, Jazz Is Dead, 1998
info The Serpent Unrolled, Fit & Limo, 1998
info Dead Delites, Vol. 1, Various Artists, 1998
info Dead Delites, Vol. 3, Various Artists, 1998
info Love Will See You Through, Highlights Volume One, Phil Lesh and Friends, 1999
info Grateful Dreams, Tom Constanten, 2000
info Search For Intelligent Life, Dose Hermanos, 2000
info Stolen Roses, Various Artists, 2000
info Gratefully Yours, Jim Hudak, 2001
info The Sea To The North, Garth Hudson, 2001
info Great Sky River, Jazz Is Dead, 2001
info Blues Tribute To The Grateful Dead, Various Artists, 2001
info Long Strange Trip: Swingin' and Pickin' on the Grateful Dead, Various Artists, 2001
info There and Back Again (Special bonus disc release), Phil Lesh & Friends, 2002
info Electronic Tribute To The Grateful Dead, Various Artists, 2002
info 3/13/98 Cedar Cultural Centre, The Big Wu, 2002
info 88 Keys to Tomorrow, Tom Constanten, 2002
info Ukulele Summit 5, Various Artists, 2002
info Live at Berkner Hall, Great Caesar's Ghost with G.E. Smith, 2005
info Live At Mojo, Dreadnaught, 2005
info Relix Sampler November 2006, Various Artists, 2006
info Blue Light Cheap Hotel, Wake The Dead, 2007
info South-Bound Freight Train, The Biscuit Rollers, 2008
info At Fine Arts Center, UMass, Amherst, MA 11/16/07, The American Beauty Project, 2009
info Better Off Dead, Great Caesar's Ghost, 2009
info At Page Auditorium, Duke University, Durham, NC 10/15/10, The American Beauty Project, 2010
info What's Done Is Done, Great Caesar's Ghost, 2011
info 3/30/2011, Visalia, CA, Chris Robinson Brotherhood, 2012
info 5/10/2011, Santa Barbara, CA, Chris Robinson Brotherhood, 2012
info 5/20/2011, San Luis Obispo, CA, Chris Robinson Brotherhood, 2012
info 10/4/2011, Omaha, NE, Chris Robinson Brotherhood, 2012
info 11/2/2011, Fayetteville, AR, Chris Robinson Brotherhood, 2012
info 11/12/2011, Atlanta, GA, Chris Robinson Brotherhood, 2012
info 12/2/2011, Eugene, OR, Chris Robinson Brotherhood, 2012
info 12/6/2011, Felton, CA, Chris Robinson Brotherhood, 2012
info 12/13/2011, San Francisco, CA, Chris Robinson Brotherhood, 2012
info 7/10/2012, Kansas City, MO, Chris Robinson Brotherhood, 2013
info 8/11/2012, Tulsa, OK, Chris Robinson Brotherhood, 2012
info 8/23/2012, Ridgefield, CT, Chris Robinson Brotherhood, 2013
info 9/18/2012, Fayetteville, AR, Chris Robinson Brotherhood, 2013
info 11/2/2012, Charlotte, NC, Chris Robinson Brotherhood, 2013
info 11/9/2012, New York, NY, Chris Robinson Brotherhood, 2013
info 12/5/2012, Solana Beach, CA, Chris Robinson Brotherhood, 2013
info 12/12/2012, San Francisco, CA, Chris Robinson Brotherhood, 2013
info The Double Down Dead EP, The Band Of Heathens, 2012
info All In Good Time, The Mike Lucci Band, 2012
info Live, Dizzy Woosh, 2013
info Songs Of Their Own, Various Artists, 2015
info 7/2/15, Chicago, IL, Infamous Stringdusters & Keller Williams, 2015
info 7/18/15, Littleton, CO, Leftover Salmon, 2015
info 8/8/15, Grand Targhee, WY, Infamous Stringdusters & Keller Williams, 2015
info 9/11/15,  Pittsburgh, PA, Greensky Bluegrass, 2015
info 2/26/16, Solana Beach, CA, Infamous Stringdusters, 2016
info 4/3/16, Raleigh, NC, Infamous Stringdusters, 2016
info 4/8/16, Philadelphia, PA, Infamous Stringdusters, 2016
info 5/8/16, Annapolis, MD, Leftover Salmon, 2016
info 5/28/16, Clarks Grove, MN, Infamous Stringdusters, 2016
info 9/17/16, Masontown, WV, Leftover Salmon, 2016
info Dead Air: Celebrating 22 Years Of Great Radio And The Grateful Dead, Various Artists, 2019
info Jerry's Smilin: Guitar Tribute to The Grateful Dead, Damią Timoner, 2020
info Bloody Mary's Almost Dead, The Bloody Mary Situation, 2021


The Grateful Dead
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Anthem Of The Sun
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Aoxomoxoa
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Live/Dead
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Workingman's Dead
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American Beauty
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Skull And Roses
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Europe 72'
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Bear's Choice
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Two From The Vault
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Fillmore East 2-11-69
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Ladies And Gentlemen
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Steppin Out With
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Rockin' The Rhein
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Fillmore West 1969
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Road Trips, Vol 4 No. 1
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Last updated November 2023