Leonard Hart (September 19, 1919 – February 2, 1975) [1] was an American drummer who owned and operated Hart Music, selling drums and musical instruments in San Carlos, California.
[3] Hart was located by a private detective and arrested in San Diego on July 26, 1971,[4] while baptizing people and using the name "Rev.
[4] The Grateful Dead song "He's Gone" is based on Lenny Hart's embezzlement of band money and subsequent disappearance.
[5][6] As a result of the fiasco, Mickey Hart, feeling ashamed of his father's actions, left the band in February 1971, not returning to the group on a full-time basis until 1975.
According to Dennis McNally, "Mickey went to the funeral home, cleared the room, took out the snakewood sticks that had been his inheritance, played a traditional rudimental drum piece, "The Downfall of Paris" on Lenny's coffin, and split.