Grahame Lesh Releases New Version of “Jupiter” Set to Robert Hunter Lyrics Ahead of Latest Album

Grahame Lesh is set to expand his ongoing musical exploration with the release of his latest studio album, "Vol. 2 – Juno," arriving on December 4. This follow-up to his 2024 debut "Vol. 1 – Let The Mountain Be My Home" continues to delve into unfinished compositions and overlooked material linked to his family's rich musical lineage and the extended Grateful Dead community.

At the heart of "Juno" is the track "Jupiter," a song that revisits previously unused lyrics by Robert Hunter, a pivotal lyricist for the Grateful Dead. Lesh first brought "Jupiter" to life with Midnight North on their 2023 album "Diamonds in the Zodiac," a recording notably featuring his father, Phil Lesh, on bass. The new version, however, emerges with a fresh instrumental introduction titled "Juno," named after NASA’s spacecraft that orbits the planet Jupiter, symbolizing this second interpretation of the song.

The album assembles an ensemble of seasoned collaborators from Grahame Lesh & Friends (GLAF), including Adam Minkoff, Damian Calcagne, Justin Mazer, Nathan Graham, as well as Brian Rashap, Elliott Peck, Gabby Sherba, and Jennifer Hartswick. This collective effort underscores the project's intent to fuse generational influences and creative voices tied to the Grateful Dead’s legacy.

A notable aspect of "Juno" is its connection to the historically significant PERRO sessions, a series of collaborative recordings from the early 1970s involving legendary musicians like David Crosby and Jerry Garcia. The track "Mountain’s Other Side," penned by GLAF keyboardist Damian Calcagne, draws inspiration from an unreleased PERRO jam originally by Jorma Kaukonen. Featuring Lesh on bass with Calcagne on vocals and a special trumpet cameo by Jennifer Hartswick, the song closes Side A of the album, reinforcing the link between past and present musical dialogues.

Side B of "Juno" continues to honor these deep roots, presenting a reinterpretation of David Crosby’s "The Wall Song." The original version, documented on the 1972 Graham Nash and David Crosby album, included contributions from Phil Lesh, Jerry Garcia, and Bill Kreutzmann. For this new recording, Graham Nash lends his vocals, lending a profound authenticity and bridging the decades between the original sessions and this contemporary take.

The album concludes with "Wave to the Wind," a track co-written by Phil Lesh and Robert Hunter that had limited exposure during the 1990s Grateful Dead performances. With Adam Minkoff’s lead vocals driving the piece, this rendition exemplifies the project’s mission to resurrect and reinterpret less familiar gems from the Grateful Dead family’s repertoire, adding new life and perspective to these compositions.

Grahame Lesh describes this body of work as a continuation of his efforts to surface forgotten or incomplete musical ideas linked to his familial and artistic heritage. The album’s title itself signifies renewal and revisitation, akin to the Juno spacecraft's mission to explore Jupiter for the second time, mirroring Lesh’s own revisit of the song "Jupiter."

Ahead of the album's release, Grahame Lesh & Friends are embarking on a tour starting October 29 in Boston at the Paradise Rock Club. The itinerary includes multiple dates at the Hollywood Forever Masonic Lodge in Los Angeles, followed by performances in Asheville, Nashville, and Fort Lauderdale, culminating with a New Year’s Eve show.

While additional details regarding the full tracklist and production specifics remain limited, "Vol. 2 – Juno" clearly represents a thoughtful continuation of Lesh's commitment to honoring and evolving the musical traditions forged by his family and the wider Grateful Dead community. Through collaborations that blend historical material with contemporary artistry, the album offers a rich narrative of musical preservation and innovation.