Telluride ‘87: Sisters, Stories & the Show That Got Away

Back in the summer of 1987, the Grateful Dead played a pair of legendary shows in the mountain town of Telluride, Colorado. Picture it: high altitude, low ego, and Deadheads from all over the country converging on a sleepy ski town that had no idea what was coming. It was the kind of moment where the music, the place, and the people fused into something unforgettable.

Grateful Dead in Telluride, CO 1987

One of the lucky fans in attendance was Elizabeth — Michelle’s older sister. She made the trek to Telluride that year, drawn by the music and the magnetic community of fellow travelers. Michelle, however, didn’t get the same green light. She remembers it well: their dad, wary of “the hippie scene,” put his foot down. No Telluride for her. Not yet.

This memory has stuck with both sisters, but not with regret. It’s part of the layered fabric of their lives — a shared connection to the music, even when experienced from different places. For Elizabeth, it was the thrill of being there. For Michelle, it became part of the mythology. The show that got away.

Now, years later, they’re reconnecting not just as sisters, but as fellow Deadheads — co-creators of China Cat Chat. In this week’s newsletter, Elizabeth shares what it was like to grow up in the orbit of the Dead, what that Telluride show meant to her, and why the music still resonates all these years later.

If you missed the newsletter, you can catch the full interview with Elizabeth here, revisit that epic Telluride show, and get a taste of the art and stories that bring it all back to life. It’s not just about the music — it’s about the memories, the people, and the places where the Dead still dance in our minds.

Stay Kind...