Meyer Sound and the Grateful Dead:

A Legacy in Live Sound

In many ways, the story of Meyer Sound begins with the Grateful Dead. In the early 1970s, the band’s sonic visionary Owsley “Bear” Stanley tapped a young John Meyer to help realize the Wall of Sound—a radical experiment in high-fidelity audio that changed the course of live music. That collaboration sparked a partnership rooted in shared ideals: precision, innovation, and deep respect for the audience.

They have produced and released a short film highlighting their long and fruitful relationship. You can check it out here: https://meyersound.com/video/meyer-sound-and-the-grateful-dead-a-legacy-in-live-sound/

This short film traces that journey—beginning with the revolutionary Wall of Sound and culminating in Dead & Company’s concerts celebrating 60 years of the Grateful Dead’s music. The shows will take place in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, August 1–3, 2025, and will be powered by Meyer Sound’s flagship PANTHER system—bringing the legacy full circle. Through interviews with the band, Meyer Sound co-founders John and Helen Meyer, and UltraSound CEO and Dead & Company tour director Derek Featherstone, the video reveals how an unrelenting obsession with high-fidelity sound helped launch a company, redefine live audio, and inspire generations of engineers and artists.

But for Meyer Sound, the story isn’t just technical—it’s personal. The company’s long-standing relationship with the Grateful Dead helped define its ethos and its evolution. As Helen Meyer puts it: “The Grateful Dead are part of our DNA. We learned together. We grew together. And we’re still on the journey.”

Download a backgrounder detailing Meyer Sound and the Grateful Dead’s long strange trip here: https://meyersound.com/public/pdf/the_grateful_dead_history_2025.pdf