Diamond Dave Whitaker, a San Francisco icon and legend, dies at 88 - 48 hills

"Diamond D was, indeed, the first person to smoke pot with Bob Dylan. He introduced Dylan to the writing of Woody Guthrie, which Dylan freely admits changed his life. Some of Dylan's earliest songs were recorded at Diamond D's house in Minneapolis."

"Diamond Dave lived much of his life in San Francisco. He did pirate radio, and I was on a bunch of his shows. He organized underground poetry readings. He lived in later years in a place that was somewhere between a squat and a converted warehouse behind the Farmer's Market on Alemany."

"In fact, Diamond Dave seemed to love everyone. He had that old, wonderful, hippie vibe that hate and anger were just a waste of time and energy. Every time he read poetry or presented or lead a demonstration, he would end by saying, 'don't panic; keep it organic.'"

Diamond Dave Whitaker was a legendary San Francisco figure who embodied the spirit of the city's counterculture movement. He was historically significant for being the first person to smoke marijuana with Bob Dylan and introducing Dylan to Woody Guthrie's writing, which profoundly influenced Dylan's songwriting. In San Francisco, Whitaker organized underground poetry readings, conducted pirate radio shows, and lived in an unconventional space behind the Farmer's Market. Known for his kindness and inclusive philosophy, he rejected hate and anger as wasteful, instead promoting peace, love, and art. He remained intellectually engaged throughout his life, regularly taking classes at City College into his late seventies and advocating for the community during administrative conflicts.

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