Cyril Neville performed alongside his siblings in The Meters and The Neville Brothers for decades. Now, the vocalist and percussionist is the only sib still touring and performing on a regular basis. But his legacy—and that of his brothers—has filtered down through decades. As a way to attract some new fans while sating those who have stuck around for years, the 77-year-old Neville is taking a novel approach on his current tour, Cyril Neville Plays the Dead.
Beginning in the late ’60s, Neville’s older brothers performed and recorded with him, first as a solo act, eventually incorporating the vocalist and percussionist into The Meters’ lineup. After joining the band, he contributed to landmark recordings like “Struttin’” and “Cabbage Alley.”
The experience also served as a gateway to performing in The Neville Brothers, a group that counted hits like “Healing Chant” and “Sister Rosa,” for more than two decades. The Nevilles’ cultural legacy had been secured, but in the ’80s, the siblings also shared the stage with the Grateful Dead—a band already covering some Meters material in its live sets.
“What intrigued me was the fact that they were packing these auditoriums but hadn’t had a [studio] record out in 10 years,” says Neville. “All of this was happening before the internet. That was really fascinating to me that these guys obviously don’t only have it together on stage.”
The vocalist and percussionist credits music impresario Bill Graham for featuring both acts on a single bill, including at a two-day Mardi Gras celebration in 1986 at one of the Dead’s favorite venues, Oakland’s Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center.
Neville says there was an immediate spark on stage with Jerry Garcia and company.
“I was pretty surprised to find out that the band had been playing our music before we even started the musical relationship,” he says. “The audience was already familiar with our music. And from the first time we were on stage together, I felt that same kind of kindred spirit that I felt on the stage with my brothers and the guys in our band—who were also family.”
The mutual appreciation extended for decades and included a performance at the Arrington, Virginia, Lockn’ Festival in 2018, when The Nevilles were joined on stage by late Dead guitarist Bob Weir. It also extended to the studio: Garcia played guitar on the brothers’ 1987 Uptown album, and the Nevilles released a cover of “Fire on the Mountain” as a single in 1996.
Jesse Jarnow is an author who also hosts “Deadcast,” a podcast focused on Grateful Dead history. He says the groups’ camaraderie potentially stems from each being a dance band.
“Practically, what that meant was that the Nevilles could open multiple nights for the Dead, and their sets were varied and exciting enough that Deadheads who went to all of the nights would also be excited to see multiple sets by the Nevilles,” Jarnow says. “There’s a scene report from the Dead fanzine, ‘The Golden Road,’ where they complain one of the later openers wore their welcome thin over a few shows, contrasting them with the more beloved Nevilles.”
Neville was struck by Dead fans’ dedication to the ensemble and was awed by Shakedown Street—pop-up markets that invariably sprung up outside the group’s shows. He also recognized the close-knit community that had developed around Garcia and the Bay Area band. It’s why he conceived a tour built around his interpretations of the Dead’s music.
“I saw where these people followed the Dead—this was their life,” says Neville. “They were raising their children, following the Dead. And it was the freest people I’ve seen before or since.”
But Neville’s still writing and recording music of his own. In July, he released Don’t Wait Til I’m Gone, a batch of new tunes that continues to revel in New Orleans R&B, but with lyrics reflecting on a road-tested life in the music business.
The title track, which Neville wrote with his brother Art, includes the line, “Give me my flowers while I can still smell ’em.”
“Two of my brothers have already gone on to the big second line in the sky, and I’m still here,” says Neville. “So, having the opportunity to do the song with [my brother], it’s got all kinds of special connotations for it. You know, everybody’s going to take that ride. Ain’t no doubt about it.”
Regardless of what setting the Nevilles played in, they were evangelical about the joyous and spontaneous possibilities of improvisation. The music on this tour will likely change from date to date, insinuating tunes from his latest recording and an assortment of takes on classic Dead tunes.
“There’s enough negativity to go around,” Neville says, discussing the run of shows. “So, we want to spread some positivity, the same way we did back in those days.”
Cyril Neville of The Meters and The Neville Brothers performs Grateful Dead tunes at the Jefferson on September 21.
