<div id="subtitle">John Dawson, co-founder of psychedelic band New Riders of the Purple Sage, dies at 64</div><div><p>John "Marmaduke" Dawson, a longtime Grateful Dead collaborator who co-wrote "Friend of the Devil" and developed a devoted following with his psychedelic country group New Riders of the Purple Sage, has died. He was 64.</p><p>Dawson died Tuesday from stomach cancer in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, where he had retired several years ago, said Rob Bleetstein, archivist for the band.</p><p>With the Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia, Dawson co-founded New Riders in 1969 to showcase his songs along with Garcia's pedal-steel guitar playing.</p><p>Two other Dead members, bassist Phil Lesh and drummer Mickey Hart, also played in New Riders for a time, according to the band's Web site.</p><p>The band toured with the Dead starting in 1970 and released eight albums on Columbia Records from 1971 to 1976.</p><p>Dawson also contributed to a number of Grateful Dead songs, most notably co-writing "Friend of the Devil" with Garcia and Dead lyricist Robert Hunter.</p><p>The New Riders scored their first gold record in 1973 with the hit "The Adventures of Panama Red."</p><p>In 1974, the band played to 50,000 fans at a free concert in New York's Central Park.</p><img src="http://admatch-syndication.mochila.com/images/ad.gif?aid=55462836&bid=informcom" /></div><div id="copyright"><div>

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