John Mayer has hailed enjoying with Useless and Firm the “honour of [his] life”.
John Mayer loves performing with Useless and Firm
The 47-year-old guitarist has been performing with the Greatful Useless’s founding members Bob Weir, Invoice Kreutzmann – who retired from touring in 2023 – and Micky Hart since 2015 and in honour of the legendary rock band’s sixtieth anniversary, he has paid tribute to the group and their spin-off band, which additionally contains Oteil Burbridge, keyboardist Jeff Chimenti and drummer Jay Lane.
From 1-3 August, Useless and Firm marked six many years of the Grateful Useless with a collection of concert events in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park and John will “always remember” the reveals.
He wrote on Instagram on Tuesday (05.08.25): “Night time 3 in Golden Gate Park celebrating 60 years of @gratefuldead might be a one we’ll always remember.”
Sunday’s (02.08.25) second gig noticed Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio take to the stage with Useless and Firm for renditions of Scarlet Begonias and Fireplace on the Mountain, whereas the band have been joined for the entire weekend by Graheme Lesh, the son of Grateful Useless’s late bassist Phil Lesh.
John wrote: “I lastly had the prospect to play with @treyanastasio, and past the full-circle second of all of it, the lock we had going was prompt. Trey’s ear-to-fretboard information switch time is unparalleled. I’m nonetheless blown away.
“Additional particular due to @grahamelesh for becoming a member of us all three nights.
“Irrespective of what number of reveals we play as a band, I’ll all the time be a visitor on this musical world, and I’ll by no means lose sight of what’s the nice honor of my life. Completely satisfied sixtieth, Grateful Useless, and lengthy could you run, @bobweir, @mickeyhart, and @billkreutzmann.”
The Gravity hitmaker concluded his message with a tribute to the late Jerry Garcia.
He wrote: “It have to be mentioned… I’ll by no means come near enjoying like @jerrygarcia.
“But when I can by some means get you nearer to him – and to the spirit he created 60 years in the past – then I suppose I’ve finished my job.
“Thanks for accepting me. [heart emoji].”
In December 2024, the Grateful Useless have been amongst these chosen by the John F. Kennedy Heart for the Performing Arts for the Kennedy Heart honour, being recognised for being a “social and cultural phenomenon since 1965”.
The organisation added: “Grateful Useless’s music has by no means stopped being a real American unique, whereas inspiring a fan tradition like no different.”
And the surviving members of the group admitted the accolade was “past humbling”.
They mentioned in an announcement when the information was introduced in July 2024: “To be recognised alongside the artists who’ve previously obtained this honour is past humbling.
“We’ve all the time felt that the music we make embodies and imparts one thing past the notes and phrases being performed — and that’s one thing we’re privileged to share with all who’re drawn to what we do — so it additionally have to be mentioned that our music belongs as a lot to our followers, the Useless Heads, because it does to us. This honour, then, is as a lot theirs as ours.”
