Vocalist, harmonica and keyboard player with the Grateful Dead.

Ron 'Pig Pen' McKernan was born in 1945 in San Bruno, California. The son of a Bay Area R&B and blues disc jockey, McKernan grew up in a predominantly black area and found a bond with the black music and culture. As a youth, McKernan began figuring out blues piano and developed a biker image that resulted in his being expelled from Palo Alto High School in his early teens. From an early age, McKernan had a strong affinity for alcohol and was nicknamed 'Pig Pen' for his funky approach to life and sanitation.

McKernan began hanging around coffeehouses and music stores where he eventually met Jerry Garcia. One night, Garcia had McKernan hop on-stage and play his harmonica and sing the blues. Pig Pen was then a participant in all incarnations of the Dead, beginning with the Zodiacs and then Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions. Bob Weir and Bob Matthews were added to the mix and evolved into the Warlocks. In fact, around 1965, it was Pig Pen who was urging the rest of the Warlocks to go electric around the time Phil Lesh joined and they became the Grateful Dead.

Pig Pen was the high-energy bluesman. He played blues organ as well as harmonica and vocals and added some important songs to the band's repertoire, including Turn on Your Lovelight. But while his bandmates were experimenting with LSD, Pig Pen stuck to his old favourites, Thunderbird wine and Southern Comfort.

In 1967 and 1968, Mickey Hart and Tom Constanten, respectively, were added to the band, causing it to move from the blues towards psychedelia. Pig Pen's keyboard position was taken over by Constanten who occupied that seat until 1970, but Pig Pen stuck with the band, always bringing shows to a climax with his intense audience-interactive raps.

But Pig Pen's liver was having trouble keeping up with his drinking. He no longer played much, but was usually present at shows. By 1971, the Dead were rehearsing with Keith Godchaux on keyboards and Pig Pen vowed to quit drinking so he could still be part of the band. But after their Europe '72 tour, Pig's health had degenerated to the point that he could no longer tour with the Dead. On 8 March 8 1973, Pig Pen was found dead of a gastro-intestinal hemorrhage.