The most dangerous job in rock and roll. It's odd when you think of it, none of their guest keyboardists that I know of have died.

I thought Hornsby had officially joined the band at one point, but ???

For those not clear on what we're talking about, Vince Welnick is the fourth former or current Grateful Dead keyboard player to die prematurely. The others were

Ron "Pigpen" McKernan (d 1972?)
Keith Godchaux (d 1974 very shortly after leaving the band)
Brent Mydland (d 1990)

And of course Jerry Garcia died in 1995.

All hellacious good players. The Dead have taken a lot of heat for this and that but they sure attracted fine musicians.

Bill