Beard Charles

Charles has been a Grateful Dead fan for nearly 60 years. Since he attended a life-changing concert relatively early in the Dead's career, he has been what was described only later as a "Dead Head." Their music has made a deep and positive impact on his own "long strange trip." The wisdom found in their lyrics truly shines like the "gold of sunshine." That brilliance is often in accord with great spiritual traditions and plain old common sense. To share these treasures with readers is his privilege.

The author is a graduate of Texas State University, Harding School of Theology, and Texas A&M University. He received both undergraduate and graduate degrees from those institutions. After working in information technology for over 30 years, he is now retired in the "Live Music Capital of the World", Austin, Texas.