[Originally published 2/5/26, updated 2/18/26]: BERTHA, the groundbreaking all-drag Grateful Dead tribute band, has shared its debut live album and first official release, Slayin’ in the Band Vol. 1. While it’s unorthodox for a band to release an album on a Wednesday (rather than a Friday), Slayin’ arrives exactly 55 years after the Dead debuted BERTHA’s namesake song at The Capitol Theatre.
The 19-track collection showcases standout performances from the Nashville-based collective’s recent tours, including shows at Chicago’s Thalia Hall, Colorado’s Ford Amphitheater and Mishawaka Amphitheatre, The Grey Eagle in Asheville, NC, Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas, and more.
The album combines thrilling improvisation with the joy and empowerment of drag culture, featuring high-energy takes on beloved songs like “Scarlet Begonias”, “Fire On The Mountain”, and the “Terrapin Station” suite that push the Grateful Dead songbook to its limits while honoring the band’s ethos of community and adventure.
BERTHA is comprised of Caitlin Doyle and Grammy-winning songwriter Melody Walker alongside Thomas Bryan Eaton (lead guitar), Jacob Groopman (bass), Mike Wheeler (rhythm guitar), Alex Jordan (keys), and Justin Vorp (drums). The band first came together to protest Tennessee’s drag ban and has raised over $25,000 for more than 30 LGBTQ+ organizations by contributing $1 from every ticket sold. They will continue that initiative by donating a portion of album proceeds to Trans Aid Nashville.
Listen to Slayin’ in the Band Vol. 1 below or on your preferred streaming platform, and consider purchasing it on Bandcamp. BERTHA will kick off a national headlining tour this week, performing in cities across the Pacific Northwest, Northeast, South, and Midwest. Scroll down for a full list of tour dates and head here for tickets.
BERTHA: Grateful Drag — Slayin’ In The Band Vol. 1
