New Riders of the Purple Sage is an American country rock band, formed in 1969. The band originated as a side project of Jerry Garcia, Phil Lesh, and Mickey Hart from the Grateful Dead, along with John Dawson and David Nelson. The band's style merges traditional country music with elements of rock, achieving a distinctive sound that made a significant contribution to the counterculture era. Their most influential work is arguably their self-titled 1971 album, which features the hit single "Panama Red."