New Riders of the Purple Sage (NRPS) is an American country rock band formed in 1969. It grew out of jam sessions between Jerry Garcia and John "Marmaduke" Dawson. They soon became an opening act for the Grateful Dead. They branched out on their own by the early 1970s. The New Riders of the Purple Sage received a recording contract in 1971. They based their name on Foy Willing's earlier group, Riders of the Purple Sage adding "New" to their name.