The 27’s – Ron "Pigpen" McKernan 1945 – 1973

Part 14 in a series on “The 27’s” – notable musicians who have passed away in their 27th year.

Nicknamed "Pigpen" for his funky approach to life and sanitation, Ron was born into a family that was generally conventional. Born September 8, 1946, in San Bruno, CA, he grew up in a black neighborhood and was exposed to the related music and culture. After being expelled from high school, mostly for dressing like a biker, Ron officially began his musical career by picking out tunes on the piano and playing in bars.

It wasn’t long before McKernan met up with the man who gave him the nickname of Pigpen, Jerry Garcia. The two began to work together and formed Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions. The first genuine recording of Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions was a self-titled release taped live in 1964.

The next official grouping for Pigpen and Garcia would be the Warlocks, with Bob Weir, drummer Bill Kreutzmann, and Phil Lesh. The eventual evolution into the Grateful Dead followed with the addition of drummer Mickey Hart. This grouping of Pigpen, in his biker jacket and bandana, the bohemian and hippie proved an interesting combination.

Another intriguing relationship came about with the romantic pairing of Pigpen with Janis Joplin. The two blues singers had dueted a few times in concert, but Janis disliked the band’s jamming style and nothing serious ever transpired between the two.

Originally a blues musician, Ron and The Grateful Dead eventually morphed with the time to more psychedelic. Ron however was not one to participate in the drug culture, his encounters with drugs were mostly unintentional, the result of Ken Keasy’s acid test parties. Ron’s drug of choice was alcohol and it became his eventual undoing. Congenital biliary cirrhosis combined with excessive drinking eventually forced Ron to leave the band after their European tour in 1972.

On March 8, 1973, Pigpen was found dead of a gastrointestinal hemorrhage at his home in Corte Madera, California. He died alone, having not told anyone in the band about the severity of his illness. He did tell his girlfriend that he didn't want her around when he died and she left about two months before. McKernan is buried at the Alta Mesa Memorial Park in Palo Alto, California. His grave marker is inscribed:

RONALD C. McKERNAN

1945–1973

PIGPEN WAS

AND IS NOW FOREVER

ONE OF THE

GRATEFUL DEAD