About Rosie McGee

I came to San Francisco in 1951 as a five-year-old French immigrant who spoke no English. By the time I moved in with Phil Lesh and the Grateful Dead in early 1966, I'd already been documenting my life in photos for years - my life with the Dead now moved into my viewfinder.

After Phil and I parted as a couple, I stayed within the Dead's core family as the band’s friend, travel agent, and French interpreter; and when moved to do so, I danced onstage.

In my first self-published book, Dancing with the Dead—A Photographic Memoir: 1964 - 1974, I tell ten years’ worth of stories—illustrated by 200 of my photos—of living, traveling, and working with the Dead during their first decade as a band. It's been in print and selling since 2013.

ORDER COPIES OF Dancing with the Dead in print, ebook, and audiobook formats HERE

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In 2026, I completed its 29-year sequel, And THEN What Happened? 1974 - 2003, picking up where I left off with the earlier book -- 1974, when I (thought I'd) left the Grateful Dead behind to follow my heart to Taos, New Mexico.

Moving from a craft cooperative in Taos to a converted lifeboat in Sausalito; to a school bus in the mountains; to a house in a suburban cul-de-sac; to a dorm room at the Grand Canyon; and coming back to the Grateful Dead scene years later - my native optimism and adaptability helped me overcome continuous obstacles to living a quiet and peaceful life. 

In this book, I share my personal journey, sometime into - and then out of - dire circumstances - but always moving forward with a wry sense of humor and the belief that things will always work out.

And THEN What Happened? is now available in Unsigned and Signed print editions, as well as a Kindle Edition e-book via Amazon and it's part of the Kindle Unlimited subscription service that allows you to read it for free - until November of 2026.

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My one other self-published book, 2022's My Grateful Dead Photos and How I Came to Take Them, 1966-1991, featured 400 photos in a fine art coffee table book format. It sold out of two printings and is currently out of print. 

NOTE: Fine art prints of those photos (and many others) are now available at https://retrophotoarchive.com.

Browse the Inquire/Licensing and the SHOP galleries on their site: if you have a particular photo in mind that isn't shown, inquire at hello@retrophotoarchive.com. Thank you!

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