A true American poet. Most famous as the lyricist for a large number of Grateful Dead songs and of other projects of the members, in special his old friend Jerry Garcia, since 1968. Hunter also writes poetry, novels and plays (folk) music on his own, having released his first album, Tales of the Great Rum Runners, in 1974, supported by members of the Dead. Some of the songs he wrote to sing were later played by the band, some of the ones he wrote to the band he later sang (usually very differently) and others kept only his own, like Boys in the Barroom, probably his most famous song never played by the Dead.
