Even though the Grateful Dead formally disbanded in the late 1990s following the death of founding member Jerry Garcia, the lore surrounding them lives on.
Among the legendary music group's ever-growing fanbase, or "Deadheads," is Academy Award nominee Woody Harrelson, who visited The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to promote his new film, Last Breath.
The Cheers star's first in-person encounter with them went less than swimmingly, as he told Colbert.
Colbert showed a picture of Harrelson and founding Grateful Dead member Bob Weir at a recent MusiCares event, where Weir and his legendary band were being honored as the "Person of The Year."
After pointing out Weir's eclectic fashions in the picture, which the host described as being reminiscent of a "time traveler," he asked the True Detective star if he considered himself a step above the average Deadhead and rather an honorary member of the iconic band.
A suggestion Harrelson warmly accepted with a simple "yeah, why not?"
When asked by Colbert if he had any favorite memories with the band, Harrelson shared that the first time he ever met them was thanks to a carpenter friend of his, who invited the True Detective star to see them in concert in Northern California.
Harrelson and this friend were invited to meet the band backstage between their sets, although Harrelson openly admitted that he and his friend had "imbibed some fungi."
Harrelson admitted that having the chance to talk with the band was a truly surreal experience.
"We go back to talk to everybody back there, and before you know it I'm meeting The Dead, and we chat for a minute, and then they're like 'we gotta get out there'."
Harrelson explained that the group agreed to go out and play one of their signature songs, "Tennessee Jet," where they had to remind themselves of the song's chords and notes, but eventually agreed to "do what [they] always do: make it up!"
While the rest of the band made their way back to the stage, the late Jerry Garcia remained behind, and Harrelson joined him in a semi philosophical discussion about the idea that "the universe is expanding."
While recounting this story to Colbert, Harrelson had the opportunity to share his highly effective Jerry Garcia impression.
It took Garcia's "right hand man" Steve yelling at him to get back on stage, even though he and Harrelson were both engrossed in conversation.
When Garcia finally headed back out on stage, Harrelson chatted with longtime Grateful Dead touring member Bruce Hornsby. As Hornsby took a seat, Harrelson decided to follow his lead and take a seat as well.
Just after sitting down, Harrelson noticed that The Grateful Dead's "Space" section, a moment during their concerts where the band would famously riff and improvise, sounded even more out of the box than usual.
"And then suddenly this wild, discordant cacophony of crazy notes — just WHAM!"
"Well, I think to myself, ‘Kinda genius!'"
Harrelson noticed that the unusual music seemed to take the band, specifically Jerry Garcia, Phil Lesh, and Bob Weir, by surprise, just as his magic mushrooms were beginning to take their full effect.
"But then I notice things, and, granted, things are kicking in, and I look and I see Jerry ’s looking back at me and Phil and Bobby, and they’re looking back directly at me, like if it was your dream you’d be like, 'Whoa!’ "
"'And in life, I was like ‘Whoa!'"
Harrelson then noticed that a number of The Grateful Dead's roadies were running in his direction and cursing at him, just as Hornsby informed him that he was, in fact, the source of the unusual sound:
"Bruce goes, ‘Woody, you’re sitting on a live MIDI!’ Which is a keyboard'."
Even if it wasn't a performance that called for an encore, Harrelson happily concluded his story by saying how his first experience with The Grateful Dead involved jamming with them.
With Colbert dubbing Harrelson's impromptu jam session as an "a** solo."
Viewers of the interview on YouTube shared their amusement at Harrelson's unorthodox "jam session," with many envious of his opportunity and others openly expressing how they wish they could have been in the audience on what must have been a memorable night for everyone:
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert/YouTube
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert/YouTube
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert/YouTube
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert/YouTube
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert/YouTube
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert/YouTube
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert/YouTube
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert/YouTube
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert/YouTube
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert/YouTube
At the end of the story, Colbert asked Harrelson about his "dispensary," specifically his "Ganja Giggle Garden," which Harrelson declared was the most beautiful dispensary in the world.
Perhaps leaving the door open for another concert down the road that Harrelson might make unintentionally memorable.
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