July 06--A guitar signed by the Grateful Dead brought an auction price of $526,000 at the band's final 50th anniversary show Sunday at Soldier Field.
Bidding for the D'Angelico EX-DC guitar began at $5,000 at the first anniversary concert June 27 in Santa Clara, Calif. Grateful Dead founding member Bob Weir played the guitar during "Row Jimmy" at the second Santa Clara show on June 28.
Bill Rathburn, of Dallas, was the winning bidder, a D'Angelico spokeswoman said. HeadCount, a nonprofit that works with musicians to promote participation in democracy, organized the auction.
In addition to the guitar, signed posters, Remo drumheads and pit tickets generated more than $250,000. The proceeds of the auctions will be split among 17 charities picked by the Grateful Dead.
Sunday's show, the last of three weekend anniversary concerts at Soldier Field, was billed as the final time the core four remaining members of the Dead -- Weir, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann and Phil Lesh -- will perform together.
