This from the "Aces Back to Back" FB page. Posted 10 hours ago:

On Thursday, November 20, a signed contract bearing the signatures of three of the four original members of the Grateful Dead arrived in New York. It sat on the desk of promoter and impresario Peter Shapiro, waiting for the signature of the band's fourth surviving member.

That member was scheduled to perform the following night at Shapiro's vaunted Capitol Theatre in New York. He looked the contract up and down, making sure the terms, which he had been discussing with Mr. Shapiro for weeks, met his liking.

The legal agreement met his liking, and Phil Lesh signed the contract, reuniting the Core Four members of the Grateful Dead for a headlining slot or two next September, 2015 at the Lockn' Festival, the Arrington, Virginia-based jamband party co-promoted by Mr. Shapiro !!

Yippee !!

In the end, and fittingly so, it was Mr. Lesh who wielded the ultimate power - the final say on a Dead reunion.

After weeks of wrangling, the ink had dried on the paper; Lesh returned to his Manhattan home to prepare for the following night's performance with John Kadlecik, Joe Russo, Keller Williams and the rest of his many killer weekend incarnations of Phil Lesh and Friends.

Lockn' 2015 will feature a reunited Dead headlining two nights; the String Cheese Incident featuring a set with, or featuring the music of, the Doobie Brothers; Teresa Williams and Larry Campbell backed by Widespread Panic for a set of Band and Levon Helm classics, and, hopefully Phish.

I would also expect performances from a host of bands and acts that have become dear to Peter Shapiro and Phil, based on Mr. Lesh's rotating line-ups at the Capitol during his 2014 residency there: Lettuce with bad-ass Eric Krasno; the Animal Liberation Orchestra featuring Dan Lebowitz; Joe Russo's Almost Dead; the John K. Band, and the Chris Robinson Brotherhood, to name a few.

The details of who will accompany the Dead onstage have pretty much been hammered out. Bruce Hornsby will be the fifth member and there will be a rotation at lead guitar among Warren Haynes, John Kadlecik, Steve Kimock, and a fourth player, possibly Barry Sless. How this rotation will work is unknown - from show to show would seem to be the most likely scenario.

It is also unknown if Hornsby will be accompanied by a keyboardist who can work an organ and a good ol' Hammond B-3. If so, and hopefully so, we would expect to see Jeff Chimenti or Rob Barraco man the seat next to the lanky Virginian.

It is hoped here, but also unknown at this time, if Donna and Tom Constanten will have a place in the 50th anniversary reunion.

Why not ?

The Stones honored Bill Wyman and Mick Taylor by bringing them onstage for a few numbers during their 50th anniversary shows and we are hoping the Dead will do the same with Donna and TC.

They deserve it.

We would like to see Sunshine Becker and Jeff Pherson brought on as backing vocalists, to ease the "singing pressure" on the band members and whomever plays lead.

I would also expect one or two other festival headlining gigs by the Dead to be announced as well as brief residencies in New York at Madison Square Garden and in Oakland at the Coliseum. We do not expect a conventional, or lengthy, tour.

It is my belief that what we have hoped for will come to pass - the opportunity for us to gather en masse once again, and to revel among each other and the music of the Grateful Dead.

Fk yes.

The chance for the band to play together again, to bid us farewell, and for us to dance one last dance with them, to say goodnight to them, and for all of us - band and Deadheads alike - to revel in the beauty, magic and magnificence of our love for a never-ending romance started some 50 years ago.