Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay, Grateful Dead's soulful voice, dies at 78

She died Sunday in Nashville after a long battle with cancer, surrounded by loved ones.

Born in Florence, Alabama, Donna's voice first echoed through Muscle Shoals studios, where she sang on legendary tracks like Elvis Presley's Suspicious Minds and Percy Sledge's When a Man Loves a Woman.

Her soulful tone and gospel touch made her a sought-after background singer long before she joined one of rock's most iconic bands.

In 1971, Donna and her husband, pianist Keith Godchaux, joined the Grateful Dead, adding warmth and depth to the band's sprawling, psychedelic sound.

For nearly a decade, she shared the stage with Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir, helping to shape live staples such as Scarlet Begonias and Playing in the Band.

Her harmonies brought a distinctive spirit to the Dead's music, blending gospel roots with California's free-flowing rock culture.

Fans remember her radiant energy onstage, often smiling and dancing as the band jammed into the night.

After leaving the group in 1979, tragedy struck when Keith Godchaux was killed in a car accident a year later.

Donna withdrew from music for some time before eventually returning to the stage, finding both healing and a new creative chapter alongside bassist David MacKay, whom she later married.

In 1994, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the Grateful Dead - a recognition of her irreplaceable role in shaping the band's most dynamic era.

To many Deadheads, Donna Jean remains a symbol of soulful honesty and pure musical joy.

Her family's statement captured her essence perfectly: «She was a sweet and warmly beautiful spirit, and all those who knew her are united in loss.» As lyricist Robert Hunter once wrote, «May the four winds blow her safely home.»