Goodbye to Donna Jean Godchaux, voice of the Grateful Dead

Donna Jean Godchaux, lead singer of the Grateful Dead in the 1970s, has passed away at the age of 78, according to the American edition of Rolling Stone. The singer passed away yesterday, Sunday 2 November, in Nashville after a long battle with cancer.
This is the family statement published by the newspaper:

She was a sweet spirit and poignantly beautiful, and all who knew her are united in their loss. The family requests privacy in this time of mourning. Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter said goodbye to her: ‘May the four winds bring her home safely.’

Godchaux joined the Grateful Dead in 1971 with her husband Keith, who played keyboards – they both left the lineup in ’79. Her husband died the following year, shortly after the formation of a new group, the Heart of Gold Band.

Donna Jean Godchaux was a backing vocalist and contributed to defining the group’s classic period, both in the studio albums and in the recordings of tours considered legendary, such as the one in ’77 which culminated in the concert at Cornell University (considered by many to be the band’s best and released a few years ago after having circulated for a long time as a bootleg).