Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell arrives to testify during the House Financial Services Committee hearing titled “The Federal Reserve’s Semi-Annual Monetary Policy Report,” in Rayburn Building on Wednesday, June 21, 2023.
Tom Williams | CQ-Roll Call, Inc. | Getty Images
Let it be known: The leader of the U.S. Federal Reserve, the most important central bank in the world, is a Deadhead.
No one is ever likely to confuse Jerome Powell with Jerry Garcia, but the policymaker apparently likes to stop and smell the “Scarlet Begonias” when he can.
Indeed, Powell was snapped June 3 at a Dead & Company show in Bristow, Virginia. An ensuing Twitter post created a bit of a social media sensation.
No one dared ask Powell about his excursion at last week’s post-meeting press conference. But the subject finally did come up Wednesday when he addressed legislators on the House Financial Services Committee.
Rep. Wiley Nickel (D-N.C.) said he was “excited” to hear that Powell was at the show, and asked him what he thought.
“It was terrific. What can I say? It was great,” Powell replied. “I’ve been a Grateful Dead fan for 50 years.”
(L-R) John Mayer, Jay Lane and Bob Weir of Dead and Company perform during 2023 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival at Fair Grounds Race Course on May 06, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Erika Goldring | Getty Images
Online reports indicated it must have been fun: The band played staples such as “Brown-Eyed Women,” “Uncle John’s Band” and “Deal” while pulling out “One More Saturday Night” and the Beatles’ “Dear Prudence” for the first time this tour.
The questioning Wednesday provided some kinship for Powell, Nickel and a few other committee members who expressed Dead fandom.
“I like people who like the Grateful Dead,” Nickel said.
