Grateful Dead legend Phil Lesh volunteers at SF Marin Food Bank

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- A tie-dye themed volunteer event inside the San Francisco Marin Food Bank was inspired by Phil Lesh of The Grateful Dead.

"Just a chance to help out a little bit, give back a little bit," said Lesh.

The impetus came during a conversation Lesh and his wife Jill had at their San Rafael restaurant Terrapin Crossroads with their attorney about how another Bar Association event had raised money for the program "Food From the Bar."

"Jill looked at me and said 'Well, let me tell you what we're going to do, we are going to get Phil out and do a volunteer shift at the food bank and then we'll come back here and have dinner together and he'll do a show in the garden,'" said Attorney Phil Feldman.

Volunteers were asked to contribute a minimum of $500, raising $15,000.

"People get to know each other when they work together and a lot of people realize how easy and fun it is to volunteer," said Jill Lesh.

Lesh and his team carefully measured out a pound of rice.

Lesh joked it took greater precision than playing the bass.

"I've been playing the bass long enough so it's kind of second nature, this is a whole new ball game," said Lesh.

Sometime soon a family somewhere will open a bag of rice filled by Lesh. He says it doesn't matter who fills it up.

"All that matters is that it gets filled up," said Lesh.

Perhaps even inspiring a song along the way.

"Every grain of rice, feeds somebody somewhere," sang Lesh.