Bill Walton Honored by Chris Benchetler One Year After His Death

"Honoring and celebrating the passion and connection of our beloved friend Bill Walton today. His love for the Grateful Dead and my last film, Fire on the Mountain, was palpable. His narration wasn’t just a contribution—it was a gift, one that elevated the project to a higher plane. The Grateful Dead's music often spoke of transcendence, of the journey beyond this life, and it feels fitting that Bill Walton, who often spoke in Grateful Dead lyrics, has joined that eternal jam session in the stars. He is remembered, he is missed, and—for me and many others—he is eternal," said Benchetler's post. 

As mentioned, Benchetler and Walton were tied together themselves by the Dead's legacy. Walton's iconic voice appeared as the narrator in Benchetler's last film, Fire on the Mountain, which was Benchetler's first foray into whimsically lit night skiing films, backed by the music of the band. Benchetler's latest project, Mountains of the Moon, takes his visions from Fire on the Mountain further into more sports and more Grateful Dead. The band recently featured Benchetler's art and unreleased footage from the new film as visuals during their closing run at the Sphere in Las Vegas. 

Following the release of Fire on the Mountain in 2019, ESPN had a special showing of the film that dove into its making and behind the scenes footage alongside Benchetler, Walton, and Grateful Dead drummer, Mickey Hart.

With his most recent project, Benchetler has released weekly episodes on his YouTube channel to give viewers a look into the making of the film prior to its release in Fall of 2025.

This week's episode of Ship of Fools gives a look into that 2019 ESPN special in honor of Walton. Tap or click below to watch the episode and tribute to Bill Walton.