Joan Osborne will perform as a member of the Dead during its upcoming Summer Getaway 2003. Osborne will add both lead and backing vocals (the slot formerly filled by Susan Tedeschi, who toured with The Other Ones for a portion of their fall tour). Meanwhile, Joan will head out on the road this spring as the opening act for the Dixie Chicks (_shes_ not boycotting them), to promote her most recent album, How Sweet It Is.
The Deads Summer Getaway kicks off June 15 at Bonnaroo and then heads to the Northeast, with stops in New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Jersey, before moving to the Midwest for shows in Wisconsin, Missouri and Texas. The second leg of the tour will begin July 29 and wrap on August 10. Look for an announcement soon.
Steve Winwood will open seven dates on the first leg of the tour, beginning on June 17 (location TBA). In the summer of 1994, Winwood opened ten shows for the Grateful Dead when an incarnation of Traffic briefly reunited (the line-up also featured original member Jim Capaldi). Willie Nelson will perform at six Getaway shows, with moe. making an additional appearance at the June 29th gig at Vernon Downs Raceway in Vernon, NY.
The complete schedule is up at www.dead.net.