The Deads reunion tour continued last night with a performance at Washington, DCs Verizon Center. To the surprise of many, at the end of the groups set Tipper Gore, the wife of former Vice President Al Gore, took the stage to play percussion on Sugar Magnolia. Gore, a drummer in her own right, has played with a number of musicians over the years, including Jon Bon Jovi, John Popper and Tom Petty. According to reports, the members of The Dead and their families also met with President Obama in the White House for a private tour of the Oval Office. The surviving members of The Grateful Dead first came together last year for an Obama benefit.

Likewise, The Grateful Deads relationship with the Gore Family can be traced back to 1993 when Vice President gave the band a tour of the White House. Jerry Garcia and other representatives from the band then met with Tipper Gore to discuss her campaign for parental warnings on albums marketed to children. Tipper Gore has also collaborated with Bob Weir and Mickey Hart on a few occasions: In 2001, Gore played drums with the duos The Flying Other Ones project at benefits for her husband in Los Altos, CA and San Jose, CA.