Jeff Tweedy Covers Doobie Brothers & Grateful Dead Classics In San Francisco

The Wilco frontman performed rare covers of 'What A Fool Believes' and 'Ripple' during his solo show encore at The Fillmore.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 7:36pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of shimmering, crumpled gold and silver sequins under dramatic studio lighting, evoking the glitz and energy of a rock concert stage.Jeff Tweedy's surprise covers of classic Bay Area rock songs captured the vibrant spirit of his Fillmore performance.Belleville Today

Jeff Tweedy and his solo band played covers of The Doobie Brothers' 'What A Fool Believes' and the Grateful Dead's 'Ripple' during the encore of their second of two shows at The Fillmore in San Francisco. Tweedy explained the concept of playing a unique cover song each night related to the city or venue, with the Doobie Brothers and Grateful Dead selections being a nod to the Bay Area's rich musical history.

Why it matters

Tweedy's choice to cover songs by iconic Bay Area bands like The Doobie Brothers and Grateful Dead during his San Francisco shows demonstrates his deep appreciation for the region's influential musical legacy. These surprise covers provided a special treat for the audience and highlighted Tweedy's versatility as a performer.

The details

For the encore, Sima Cunningham took over bass duties to lead the band through a rendition of The Doobie Brothers' 1979 hit 'What A Fool Believes.' Tweedy then switched to an acoustic guitar as his son Sammy Tweedy sang a cover of the Grateful Dead classic 'Ripple.' Tweedy noted that 'Ripple' was the 'most obvious' choice for a Grateful Dead cover, as the band was formed in the Bay Area.

  • Jeff Tweedy and his solo band performed the covers during the encore of their second of two shows at The Fillmore in San Francisco on March 26, 2026.
  • The previous night, March 25, 2026, Tweedy had unveiled covers of Sly & The Family Stone and Creedence Clearwater Revival songs at The Fillmore.

The players

Jeff Tweedy

The frontman of the band Wilco, who was performing a solo show at The Fillmore in San Francisco.

Sima Cunningham

A member of Tweedy's solo band who took over bass duties to lead the performance of The Doobie Brothers' 'What A Fool Believes.'

Sammy Tweedy

Jeff Tweedy's son, who sang the cover of the Grateful Dead's 'Ripple.'

The Doobie Brothers

A legendary rock band formed in San Jose, California, known for hits like 'What A Fool Believes.'

Grateful Dead

The iconic psychedelic rock band that was formed in the San Francisco Bay Area and known for songs like 'Ripple.'

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What they’re saying

“We do at least one song a night that nobody else gets to hear. We never play it again and it usually has something to do with the town where we are playing, or the city or the state or the region or the venue or something.”

— Jeff Tweedy

“Unfortunately, San Francisco has very little music to draw upon. So we drove ourselves nuts trying to figure out what song to play. We learned this one in about a half an hour this afternoon.”

— Jeff Tweedy

“This one was maybe the most obvious, but we had to do it.”

— Jeff Tweedy

The takeaway

Tweedy's decision to cover songs by iconic Bay Area bands like The Doobie Brothers and Grateful Dead during his San Francisco shows demonstrates his deep appreciation for the region's rich musical history and legacy. These surprise covers provided a special treat for the audience and highlighted Tweedy's versatility as a performer.