Happy 83rd birthday to August Owsley Stanley III. Born on this day in 1935, “Bear” as he is affectionately known, became the Dead’s benefactor and original sound man after a chance meeting at an acid Test in 1965. The source of many of the band’s earliest recordings, Bear was also the brain behind such sound innovations as the Wall of Sound and the Alembic venture. Often referred to as “the acid king” Stanley was responsible for the production and distribution of over 5 million hits of the purest quality LSD ever produced, including the acid consumed by the guests of Ken Kesey’s famous Acid Tests, thus becoming instrumental in ushering in the counter culture of the 1960’s. Stanley was killed in a single vehicle accident near his home in Queensland, Australia on March 12, 2011. Stanley was 76 years old. #harvestmarket #owsleybear #owsleystanley #bearschoice #soundman #wallofsound
