Community Building, Phil Lesh Style

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(By Buzz Knight) We lost Grateful Dead founding member Phil Lesh over the weekend at age 84. Whether you are a Dead Head or not, he and his bandmates taught us plenty of lessons in community building that the radio business can certainly learn from.

His approach to music and fan engagement provides a blueprint for creating meaningful connections and fostering a sense of belonging. Let’s examine “Terrapin Crossroads: A Model for Community Engagement.”

In 2012, Phil Lesh co-founded Terrapin Crossroads, a music venue and cultural hub in Marin County, CA. This venture exemplifies Lesh’s commitment to community building and offers several insights for the radio industry.

Lesson 1: Creating Inclusive Spaces

Terrapin Crossroads quickly became a beloved spot for live music, offering fans to experience The Grateful Dead’s music. The venue embodied Lesh’s vision of music as a communal activity, where musicians and fans could connect on a personal level.

Radio stations can learn from this by creating physical or virtual spaces where listeners can gather, interact, and share experiences.

Lesson 2: Fostering Collaboration

Lesh created an inclusive space for musicians of all backgrounds to perform, collaborate, and share the joy of music. Radio stations can adopt this approach by facilitating collaborations between artists, hosting live performances, and showcasing diverse musical talents.

Lesson 3: Learning How To Build

So, within the topic of building spaces for connection, the key question for radio stations should not be “How can we produce more live and local content?” but rather “How can we build spaces where people can connect with one another?” This shift in perspective can lead to innovative approaches to audience engagement such as the concept of creating multiple communities.

Just as a brand like Nike might build distinct communities for different athletes, radio stations can create multiple communities focused on the different interests of their audience. These could range from parenting groups to craft beer enthusiasts or local sports fans.

Heck, you could even create your own Dead Head community curated by one of your personalities who happens to be a fan of the band.

By adopting these community-building strategies inspired by Phil Lesh’s approach, the radio industry can create deeper connections with our audience, foster a sense of belonging, and ensure their continued relevance in the digital age. The key lies in shifting from a content-first mindset to a community-centered approach that prioritizes building spaces for genuine human connection.

RIP Phil Lesh.

Buzz Knight can be reached by e-mail at [email protected]. Read Buzz’ Radio Ink archives here.

1 COMMENT

  1. Community Building by mixing genres per radio station is a good idea.

    Using any unrepentant Grateful Dead member’s ideology as a positive blueprint for community building – one GD member “courted” a teen and eventually married her, GD band members allegedly slyly spiked refreshments with LSD at a function – is abominable.

    My opinion.

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