PETALUMA, Calif., May 19 (AP) — Lawrence Shurtliff, a longtime crew member for the Grateful Dead better known as Ramrod, died here on Wednesday. He was 61. The cause was lung cancer, Petaluma Valley Hospital officials said.

Who was ramrod Grateful Dead?

Laurence Shurtliff (April 19, 1945 – May 17, 2006) (also spelled Lawrence Shurtliff and a.k.a., Ram Rod) was an American music executive and roadie. He was President of Grateful Dead Productions, Inc., from 1976, the year that the Grateful Dead incorporated, until the death of guitarist Jerry Garcia in 1995.

How many Grateful Dead members have died?

Three members have died: Brent Mydland in 1990 of a drug overdose, McKernan of liver disease in 1973 and Keith Godchaux in a 1980 highway crash after he left the group. There had also been problems at several recent concerts.