What is the story behind the Grateful Dead dancing bears?

Thomas used that leaden bear as his basis for the design, which features a more cartoon style bear doing the “dancing” motion. After the release of the album, the dancing bears started appearing on Owsley Stanley’s blotter art, which also happened to be in heavy circulation at Grateful Dead concerts.

Who designed the Grateful Dead bears?

Stanley
Counterculture icon Owsley “Bear” Stanley, who worked with The Grateful Dead, died in a car crash in Australia, his family said Monday. He was 76. Stanley, an accomplished sound engineer, famously inspired the band’s dancing bear logo which was featured on the back of Volkswagen buses for decades.

Do the Grateful Dead dancing bears have names?

Do the grateful dead bears have names? – Quora. Assuming this question is asking about the bears that appear in Grateful Dead iconography, they do not have any names that I am aware.

How many Grateful Dead beanie bears are there?

Scope and Content of Collection This collection includes 89 stuffed bears in 10 sets or editions. Each bear wears a tag indicating a name and birthday, and a short story relating to a Grateful Dead venue.

What does the dancing bear symbolize?

Its concept signifies the transformation between shaman and spirit helper; arctic animals adopting naturalistic or humorous human-like poses (e.g. dancing bears, and Sedna – the sea goddess), Since its introduction, it is understood that the dancing bear carving requires a much elevated skill set by the artist.

What does the phrase dancing bear mean?

1 a ceremonial dance performed before going to battle or after victory, esp. by certain North American Indian peoples. 2 a dance representing warlike action. sloth bear n. arboreal, nocturnal and insectivorous species of bear in the Indian subcontinent.

What genre is grateful dead?

Rock

Grateful Dead
Origin San Francisco, California, U.S.
Genres Rock
Years active 1965–1995
Labels Warner Bros. Grateful Dead Arista Rhino Sunflower United Artists

What is the meaning of grateful dead?

grateful dead, in folktales of many cultures, the spirit of a deceased person who bestows benefits on the one responsible for his burial. After the traveler satisfies the debt, or, in some versions, pays for the burial, he goes on his way.

Are the Grateful Dead dancing bears copyrighted?

Yes, the Dancing Bears, adapted from a generic printer’s font by Bob Thomas, are trademarked. Likewise, the band, which is well known for its associated artwork and iconography, has multiple trademark registrations to protect its logos.

Where did the dancing bears originate?

The bears were used on blotter acid produced by Owsley. Owsley’s nickname was Bear, the logo is a (registered?) trademark, and it appears in the Bear’s Choice cover art.