Guide to the Steve Brown Papers
MS.338
Finding aid prepared by Nicholas G. Meriwether
University of California, Santa Cruz
1156 High Street
Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
(831) 459-2547
speccoll@library.ucsc.edu
© 2014
Title: Steve Brown Papers
Identifier/Call Number: MS.338
Contributing Institution:
University of California, Santa Cruz
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
1.5 Linear feet
(3) document boxes
Date (bulk): Bulk, 1973-1976
Date (inclusive): 1968-2013
Abstract: The collection documents Brown's involvement with the Grateful Dead, focusing on the years 1972-1976, when he worked for both
Round Records and Grateful Dead Records in a variety of capacities. In addition to tours by the Grateful Dead, the Jerry Garcia
Band, and Kingfish, the collection documents Brown's work on a number of projects, including the LPs
Mars Hotel,
Old and In the Way,
Tiger Rose,
Pistol Packin' Mama, and
The Grateful Dead Movie.
creator:
Brown, Steve, (Steven H.), 1944-
Biography
Steve Brown (1944- ) was born and raised in San Francisco and attended Commodore Sloat Elementary School, Aptos Junior High
School, Abraham Lincoln High School, and San Francisco City College, where he earned his Associate of Arts Degree in 1965
as a Broadcast Major. After working at KSFO Radio from 1961-1965, he worked in record sales and promotion from 1965-1967,
while also managing the rock band, Friendly Stranger. He served in the U.S. Navy Reserve from 1966-1971. His active duty (June
1967-December 1968) was in the San Diego Navy Public Information Office recording studio, making music tapes for the ships'
entertainment systems in the 7th Fleet, with two tours of Vietnam recording audio with a Naval Operations film crew. He used
his Navy-issued reel-to-reel tape deck to record the Dead at their famed free concert on Haight Street, March 3, 1968. While
on active duty, he moonlighted as underground DJ "O.B. Jetty" at KPRI-FM San Diego, from 1967-1969. After an honorable discharge,
he was head album buyer for a San Francisco wholesale record distributor, (1970-1972), where he learned that the Dead wanted
to start their own record company and applied for a job. In spring 1973 he went to work for Grateful Dead Records and Round
Records, serving in several capacities, including album promotion (1973-1978), staffing the Grateful Dead Records promo/sign-up
booth during the 1974 concert tour, handling album session production and overseeing album art production (1973-1978), and
production and post-production assistant for "The Grateful Dead Movie" (1974-1976). After leaving the Grateful Dead in 1978,
he was Associate Producer at Seen Sal Inc., producing benefit concerts from 1978-1982, going on to serve as Operations Manager
for Pacifica Community Television (1982-1988) and Video Project Lab Instructor at Skyline College in San Bruno (1982-1992).
After that, he worked as Independent Producer for Pacifica Films (1992-2002), going on to be Video Producer for Pacifica Community
Television/Pacific Coast Television, from 2002- present. He is divorced with one daughter.
Access
This collection is processed and available for research.
Preferred Citation
Steve Brown Papers, MS 338. Special Collections and Archives, University Library, University of California, Santa Cruz.
Publication Rights
Property rights reside with the University of California. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and
their heirs. For permission to publish or to reproduce the material, please contact the Head of Special Collections and Archives.
Scope and Content of Collection
This collection comprises correspondence, business papers, notes, drafts and manuscripts of published articles, notebooks,
calendars, ephemera, clippings, photographs, and DVDs related to Brown's work for the Grateful Dead.
The collection is divided into 5 series: Work, General; Promotion; Production: Concerts; Production: Albums, etc.; and Correspondence.
Related Collections
- MS 332 Grateful Dead Collection, Series 1-12.
- MS 52 David Dodd Grateful Dead Collection
- MS 224 Stu Nixon Collection
- MS 333 Dick Latvala Papers
- MS 334 Herb Greene Photographs
- MS 335 Garcia Memorial Collection
- MS 336 Dennis McNally Papers
- MS 339 Acid Test Poster Modern Variant Reprints
- MS 340 David Singer Posters
- MS 343 Elizabeth Cohen Collection
- MS 344 Susana Millman Slide Collection
- MS 345 John R. Dwork Collection
- MS 346 Grateful Dead Bean Bears Collection
- MS 350 Deadhead Contributions - in process
Arrangement
The collection is arranged according to the broad divisions of the creator's work: general work, promotion, concert production,
album and other production, and correspondence. These divisions and their arrangement reflect the original arrangement as
much as was practicable. Materials were refoldered, with additional files created, and fragile materials were rehoused.
Processing Information
Processed by Nicholas G. Meriwether.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Garcia, Jerry, 1942-1995
Grateful Dead (Musical group)
Grateful Dead Productions.
Work, General Series 1
Physical Description:
19.0 folders
Box 1, Folder 2
Personal Biography, Resume
Box 1, Folder 11
Personal Expenses, 1974-1976
Box 1, Folder 12
Garcia Interview, Guitar Player, 1975
Box 1, Folder 13
Book Proposal, Garvin/Riester
Box 1, Folder 15
Dead Head Video Project, 1984
Box 1, Folder 16
History of G.D. Records Article
Box 1, Folder 17
G.D. New Year's Eve 1991 Broadcast
Box 1, Folder 18
DVDs: Flashback Jam, Europe '74, Misc.
Promotion Series 2
Physical Description:
17.0 folders
Box 2, Folder 5
Round Records: Promotions
Box 2, Folder 6
Round Records: Production
Box 2, Folder 11
Grateful Dead Songs, Lyrics
Box 2, Folder 13
Tape Collecting/Concert Taping
Box 2, Folder 14
Press: Concert Reviews, 1976
Box 2, Folder 15
Press: Misc. Articles, Reviews
Box 2, Folder 17
Wall of Sound Newsletter Paste-Ups
Production: Concerts Series 3
Physical Description:
11.0 folders
Box 2, Folder 21
Bob Fried Benefit, 17 June 1975
Box 2, Folder 22
Grateful Dead Tour, June 1976
Box 2, Folder 23
Keith and Donna, Kingfish Tour, 1975
Box 2, Folder 24
Garcia Band: Contract, Rider
Box 2, Folder 25
Garcia Band: Expenses, Misc.
Box 2, Folder 27
Garcia Band: Tours, 1975-1976
Box 2, Folder 28
Garcia Band: 8 Oct. 1975 Handbill
Production: Albums, Etc. Series 4
Physical Description:
15.0 folders
Box 3, Folder 1
Production Supplies, Work
Box 3, Folder 2
Grateful Dead Movie: Planning
Box 3, Folder 3
Grateful Dead Movie: Songs
Box 3, Folder 5
Mars Hotel: Programming, Logistics
Box 3, Folder 6
Mars Hotel: Promotional Work
Box 3, Folder 7
Mars Hotel: Session Sheets
Box 3, Folder 8
Mars Hotel: Songs, Lyrics
Box 3, Folder 9
Mars Hotel: Tape/Take Notes
Box 3, Folder 10
Mars Hotel: Tape/Track Charts
Box 3, Folder 14
Tiger Rose: Lyrics, Songs
Correspondence Series 5
Physical Description:
6.0 folders
Box 3, Folder 17
Correspondence: 1972-1976
Box 3, Folder 18
Correspondence: Music Submissions
Box 3, Folder 19
Correspondence: Bobo, Ray
Box 3, Folder 20
Correspondence: Moffett, Frank
