Jerry Garcia
Background information
Birth name	Jerome John Garcia
Born	August 1, 1942
Origin	San Francisco, California, USA
Died	August 9, 1995 (aged 53) Forest Knolls, California, USA
Genre(s)	Folk rock, jam band, bluegrass, soul music, country rock, rock and roll, psychedelic rock, rhythm and blues
Occupation(s)	Artist, musician, songwriter
Instrument(s)	Piano, banjo, electric guitar, pedal steel guitar
Years active	1960 – 1995
Label(s)	Rhino, Arista, Warner Bros., Acoustic Disc, Grateful Dead
Associated acts	Grateful Dead, Legion of Mary, Reconstruction, Jerry Garcia Band, Old and in the Way, Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band, New Riders of the Purple Sage
Website	JerryGarcia.com
Notable instrument(s)
Gibson SGs Guild Starfire 1957 Gibson Les Paul Gold-top Les Paul with P-90 Fender Stratocaster "Alligator" Doug Irwin Custom "Wolf" Doug Irwin Custom "Tiger" Doug Irwin Custom "Rosebud" Stephen Cripe Custom "Lightning Bolt"

Jerome John "Jerry" Garcia (August 1, 1942 – August 9, 1995) was an American musician, songwriter, and artist best known for being the lead guitarist and vocalist of the psychedelic rock band the Grateful Dead.^[1][2] Garcia was viewed by the media as the leader or "spokesman" of the group.^[1][2][3][4] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... is the 213th day of the year (214th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... is the 221st day of the year (222nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... Lagunitas and Forest Knolls are census-designated places and unincorporated areas located in the western half of the San Geronimo Valley in Marin County, California. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Bob Dylans folk-rock album, Blonde on Blonde Folk-rock is a musical genre, combining elements of folk music and rock music. ... The term jam band is commonly used to describe psychedelic rock-influenced bands whose concerts largely consist of bands reinterpreting their songs as springboards into extended improvisational pieces of music. ... Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music. ... This article is about the novel Soul Music. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Rock and roll (also spelled Rock n Roll, especially in its first decade), also called rock, is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles. ... Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that attempts to replicate the mind-altering experiences of hallucinogenic drugs. ... For other uses, see Rhythm and blues (disambiguation). ... The definition of an artist is wide-ranging and covers a broad spectrum of activities to do with creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. ... “Instrumentalist” redirects here. ... A songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics to songs, the musical composition or melody to songs, or both. ... A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified with the purpose of making music. ... A short grand piano, with the lid up. ... For other uses, see Banjo (disambiguation) The banjo is a stringed instrument developed by enslaved Africans in the United States, adapted from several African instruments. ... An electric guitar is a type of guitar that uses pickups to convert the vibration of its steel-cored strings into electrical current, which is then amplified. ... Pedal steel guitar with two 10-string necks The pedal steel guitar is a type of electric guitar that uses a metal slide to stop the strings, rather than fingers on strings as with a conventional guitar. ... In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... Rhino Entertainment is a specialty record label originally known for releasing retrospectives of famous comedy performers, including Stan Freberg, Tom Lehrer, and Spike Jones. ... Arista redirects here. ... Warner Bros. ... Acoustic Disc is the name of the record label founded by mandolinist David Grisman, in 1990. ... Record label of the Grateful Dead. ... This article is about the band. ... The Legion of Mary was a side project of the Grateful Deads lead guitarist, singer, and defacto leader Jerry Garcia. ... Reconstruction was a band that John Kahn put together to play when Jerry was busy with the Grateful Dead. ... Jerome John Jerry Garcia (August 1, 1942 – August 9, 1995) was famous as guitarist and primary singer of the psychedelic rock band the Grateful Dead, though his extensive career involved many other projects. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... This article or section needs to be wikified. ... New Riders of the Purple Sage New Riders of the Purple Sage was a 1970s country rock band from Marin County, California. ... The Gibson SG is a popular model of solid-bodied electric guitar that was introduced in the early 1960s. ... The Guild Guitar Company is a USA-based guitar manufacturer begun in 1952 by Alfred Dronge. ... The Gibson Les Paul is one of the most recognizable solid-body electric guitar designs in the world. ... “Stratocaster” redirects here. ... Tiger was Jerry Garcias main guitar from 1979 to 1990. ... is the 213th day of the year (214th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 221st day of the year (222nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... “Instrumentalist” redirects here. ... A songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics to songs, the musical composition or melody to songs, or both. ... The definition of an artist is wide-ranging and covers a broad spectrum of activities to do with creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. ... Lead guitar refers to a role within a band, that provides melody or melodic material, as opposed to the rhythm of the rhythm guitar, bass, and drums. ... For other uses, see Singer (disambiguation). ... Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that attempts to replicate the mind-altering experiences of hallucinogenic drugs. ... This article is about the band. ...

Performing with the Grateful Dead for its entire three decade career (which spanned from 1965 to 1995), Garcia participated in a variety of side projects, including the Jerry Garcia Band, Old and in the Way, the Garcia/Grisman acoustic duo, and Legion of Mary.^[1] Garcia co-founded the New Riders of the Purple Sage with John Dawson and David Nelson. He also released several solo albums, and contributed to a number of albums by other artists over the years as a session musician. He was very well known by many for his highly distinctive guitar playing and was ranked 13^th in the Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time cover story.^[5] Jerome John Jerry Garcia (August 1, 1942 – August 9, 1995) was famous as guitarist and primary singer of the psychedelic rock band the Grateful Dead, though his extensive career involved many other projects. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... David Grisman David Grisman (born March 23, 1945 in Hackensack, New Jersey) is a noted bluegrass/newgrass mandolinist and composer of acoustic music. ... The Legion of Mary was a side project of the Grateful Deads lead guitarist, singer, and defacto leader Jerry Garcia. ... New Riders of the Purple Sage New Riders of the Purple Sage was a 1970s country rock band from Marin County, California. ... Photo submitted by Franklyncards This article is about the World War I soldier. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Sideman. ... The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time was a cover story of the 18 September 2003 issue of Rolling Stone magazine published in August 2003. ...

Later in life, Garcia was sometimes ill due to his unstable weight, and he experienced a diabetic coma that nearly cost him his life in 1986. Although his overall health improved somewhat after that, he also struggled with chronic heroin addiction,^[3][4] and was residing in a drug rehabilitation facility when he died of a heart attack in August of 1995.^[2][4]

Early years

Jerome John Garcia was born in San Francisco, California, on August 1, 1942, to Spanish-American Jose Ramon Garcia and Swedish/Irish-American Ruth Marie Clifford.^[6][7] His parents named him after the famous composer Jerome Kern.^[6] Garcia was their second and final child, preceded by Clifford "Tiff" Garcia, who was born in 1937. San Francisco redirects here. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... is the 213th day of the year (214th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Languages American EnglishSpanish Spanish in the United StatesLadino Religions Predominantly Roman CatholicProtestantChristian Latinos Related ethnic groups HispanicsLatinosPortugueseMediterranean ArgentineMexicanCubanUruguayan Spanish Americans are raised and educated citizens of the United States whose ancestry originates in the southwest European nation of Spain. ... Jerome David Kern (January 27, 1885 – November 11, 1945) was an American composer of popular music. ...

Garcia was influenced by music at an early age,^[8] taking piano lessons for much of his childhood.^[9] His father, Jose, was employed as a professional musician,^[2] and his mother, Ruth, a hospital nurse,^[10] enjoyed playing the piano.^[6] Also, his father's extended family (he had emigrated from Spain in 1919) would often sing during reunions.^[8]

At the age of four,^[10] Garcia experienced the amputation of two-thirds of his right middle finger.^[6] Given the chore of steadying wood while his elder brother chopped, he inadvertently put his finger in the way of the falling axe, producing what would later be used as almost a signature for his art and music. Jerry also had a more serious loss a little later. Less than a year after losing a segment of his finger, he witnessed the death of his father. While camping with his family near Arcata in 1947, his father brought him along for the hike while he went fly-fishing; his father slipped, plunged into the deep rapids of the Trinity River,^[10] and drowned.^[6] Partial hand amputation Amputation is the removal of a body extremity by trauma or surgery. ... Map of California showing the location of Arcata Country State County Humboldt Settlement 1850 Incorporated 1858 Government  - Type Mayor-council  - Mayor Harmony Groves  - City manager Michael Hacket Time zone PST (UTC-8)  - Summer (DST) PDT (UTC-7) ZIP codes Area code(s) 707 Website: www. ... The Trinity River is the longest tributary of the Klamath River, approximately 130 mi (209 km) long, in northwestern California in the United States. ...

Having listened to music by Chuck Berry,^[9] Buddy Holly, and Eddie Cochran during his youth, Garcia's one wish was to have an electric guitar. On his 15^th birthday, his mother purchased him an accordion, which he pleaded with her to exchange for a guitar.^[6][8] She eventually relented, buying a Danelectro with a small amplifier.^[8] Charles Edward Anderson Chuck Berry (born 18 October 1926, St. ... For the Weezer song, see Buddy Holly (song). ... Ray Edward Eddie Cochran (October 3, 1938 – April 17, 1960) was an American Rock and Roll musician and an important influence on popular music during the late 1950s and early 1960s. ... An electric guitar is a type of guitar that uses pickups to convert the vibration of its steel-cored strings into electrical current, which is then amplified. ... This article is about the instrument as a whole. ... Danelectro DC-3 reissue. ...

During the following summer, Garcia took up an art program at the San Francisco Art Institute in order to further his burgeoning interest in the visual arts.^[10] At the SFAI, Garcia studied with Wally Hedrick and Elmer Bischoff. It was the only school Garcia would ever be proud of attending. ^[11] Hedrick, a seminal artist and California countercultural figure in San Francisco in the 1950s, was instrumental in introducing him to the city's bohemian scene.^[12] Hedrick served Jerry as a model not only as a painter but as an expositor of a way of life. ^[13] Hedrick thought Garcia bright and hip, and advised Garcia to attend poetry readings at the North Beach coffee houses, such as the Co-Existence Bagel Shop, the social centre of the Beat community. ^[14] To Garcia, Wally Hedrick was a genuine beatnik; even keeping a ‘job’ ironically posing as a bohemian sitting at the bar at Vesuvios, a famous hangout in San Francisco’s North Beach, and it was Hedrick who turned the young Jerry on to acoustic blues ^[15] and Jack Kerouac’s On the Road and all its attendant attitudes. On the Road changed Garcia’s life forever. ^[16] “Wally taught me that art is not only something you do, but something you are.” ^[17] While music soon became his main focus, Garcia never stopped drawing and painting. Founded in 1871, the San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI) is one of the U.S.’s older and more prestigious schools of higher education in contemporary art. ... Wally Hedrick at his home in Bodega, CA, c. ... Elmer Bischoff-(1916-1991) - Visual artist, San Fransciso Bay Area Bischoff, along with Richard Diebenkorn and David Park, was part of the post-WWII generation of artists who started as abstract painters and found their way back to figurative art. ... Wally Hedrick at his home in Bodega, CA, c. ... Jack Kerouac (pronounced ) (March 12, 1922 – October 21, 1969) was an American novelist, writer, poet, and artist. ...

Around 1958, Garcia attended tenth grade at Balboa High School. During this period, he was introduced to marijuana.^[8] Garcia would later reminisce: "Me and a friend of mine went up into the hills with two joints, the San Francisco foothills, and smoked these joints and just got so high and laughed and roared and went skipping down the streets doing funny things and just having a helluva time."^[8] Balboa High School (San Francisco) Balboa High School is an American public high school located in the Excelsior District of San Francisco, California. ... Cannabis, also known as marijuana[1] or ganja,[2] is a psychoactive product of the plant Cannabis sativa L. subsp. ...

Garcia frequented a Victorian-style house during the early sixities, then commonly known by its address at 710 Ashbury Street. It was situated in the midst of the Haight-Ashbury district, most famous for being the center of the counterculture movement in San Francisco. He performed at 710 Ashbury during his early years, and would, within a few years, live with the rest of the Grateful Dead there. In 1962, Garcia met Phil Lesh, the eventual bassist of the Grateful Dead, during a party at 710 Ashbury. Lesh would later write in his autobiography that Garcia resembled the "composer Claude Debussy: dark, curly hair, goatee, Impressionist eyes."^[10] Corner of Haight and Ashbury The Haight-Ashbury is a district of San Francisco, California, USA named for the intersection of Haight and Ashbury Streets, commonly known as The Haight. ... In sociology, counterculture is a term used to describe the values and norms of behavior of a cultural group, or subculture, that run counter to those of the social mainstream of the day, the cultural equivalent of political opposition. ... San Francisco redirects here. ... Phillip Chapman Lesh (born March 15, 1940 in Berkeley, California) is a musician and founding member of the rock band, Grateful Dead; he played bass guitar in that group throughout their entire 30-year career. ... A sunburst-colored Precision Bass The electric bass guitar (or electric bass; pronounced , as in base) is a bass stringed instrument played with the fingers (either by plucking, slapping, popping, or tapping) or using a pick. ... Claude Debussy, photo by Félix Nadar, 1908. ...

Garcia later dropped out of Balboa High School in his junior year and enlisted in the United States Army.^[1][8] After completing Basic Training and Service School Training as an auto maintenance helper at Fort Ord, Garcia was stationed at Fort Winfield Scott in the Presidio of San Francisco.^[8] Garcia was still spending his hours at his leisure picking up the acoustic guitar.^{[citation needed]} He was given a general discharge on December 14, 1960, after accruing two courts martial and eight AWOLs.^{[citation needed]} Balboa High School (San Francisco) Balboa High School is an American public high school located in the Excelsior District of San Francisco, California. ... The United States Army is the largest and oldest branch of the armed forces of the United States. ... Fort Ord Fort Ord Fort Ord was a U.S. Army post on Monterey Bay in California. ... The Parade Grounds at the Presidio of San Francisco. ... Playing a steel-string guitar without a pick (fingerpicking). ... A military discharge is given when a member of the armed forces is released from his or her obligation to serve. ... is the 348th day of the year (349th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... AWOL (pronounced a-wall) is an acronym for the United States and other armed forces expression Absent WithOut Leave or Absence Without Official Leave. The United States Marine Corps and the United States Navy use the term Unauthorized Absence (UA) instead. ...

After his discharge, Garcia traveled to Palo Alto to experience the alternative scene then surrounding Stanford University.^[8] It was at this time that Garcia began to realize that he needed to begin playing the guitar in earnest—a move which meant giving up his love of drawing and painting. This decision was softened when Garcia recognized the impressive talent of his friend Paul Speegle. Location in Santa Clara County and the state of California Coordinates: , Country State County Santa Clara Government  - Mayor Yoriko Kishimoto[1] Area  - City 25. ... Stanford redirects here. ...

Garcia soon met Robert Hunter in April of 1960. Hunter would go on to become a long-time lyrical collaborator with the Grateful Dead.^[1][6] Living out of his car next to Robert Hunter in a lot behind 710 Ashbury, Garcia and Hunter began to participate in the local art and musical scene, sometimes playing at Kepler's Books.^[6] Garcia performed his first concert with Hunter, each earning five dollars. Garcia and Hunter would also play in a band with David Nelson, a contributor to a few Grateful Dead albums, labeled the Wildwood Boys.^[10] Robert C. Hunter (born June 23, 1941) is an American lyricist, singer songwriter, and poet, best known for his association with Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead. ... This article is about the band. ... Keplers Books, (1955 - ) is an independent bookstore in Menlo Park, California approximately two miles from the Stanford University campus. ... David Nelson is an American musician. ...

The corner of Haight and Ashbury, the neighborhood in which 710 Ashbury was located.

In 1960, Garcia and his friend Paul Speegle were involved in a car accident. Garcia was thrown from the vehicle, resulting in a broken collarbone. Speegle, however, was fatally wounded by the crash. The accident served as an awakening for Garcia, who later elaborated: "That's where my life began. Before then I was always living at less than capacity. I was idling. That was the slingshot for the rest of my life. It was like a second chance. Then I got serious."^[18] Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (3432x2048, 1349 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco, California Talk:San Francisco, California/archive2 ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (3432x2048, 1349 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco, California Talk:San Francisco, California/archive2 ... Corner of Haight and Ashbury The Haight-Ashbury is a district of San Francisco, California, USA named for the intersection of Haight and Ashbury Streets, commonly known as The Haight. ... In an accident resulting from excessive speed, this concrete truck rolled over into the front garden of a house. ... Collarbone and collar bone redirect here. ...

While attending another party at 710 Ashbury, Phil Lesh approached Garcia suggesting that they record some songs, with the intention of getting them played on the radio station KPFA.^[10] Using an old Wollensak tape recorder, they recorded "Matty Groves" and "The Long Black Veil", among several other tunes. Their efforts were not in vain, later landing a spot on the show, where a ninety-minute special was done specifically on Garcia. It was broadcast under the title "'The Long Black Veil' and Other Ballads: An Evening with Jerry Garcia".^[10] Phillip Chapman Lesh (born March 15, 1940 in Berkeley, California) is a musician and founding member of the rock band, Grateful Dead; he played bass guitar in that group throughout their entire 30-year career. ... KPFA is a listener-sponsored radio station located in Berkeley, California, broadcasting to the San Francisco Bay area on 94. ... Wollensak was an American manufacturer of audio-visual products. ...

Garcia soon began playing and teaching acoustic guitar and banjo during this time.^[10] One of Garcia's students was Bob Matthews, who later engineered many of the Grateful Dead's albums.^[19] Matthews went to high school (and was friends) with Bob Weir, and on New Year's Eve 1963, he introduced Weir and Garcia to each other.^[19] Playing a steel-string guitar without a pick (fingerpicking). ... For other uses, see Banjo (disambiguation) The banjo is a stringed instrument developed by enslaved Africans in the United States, adapted from several African instruments. ... Robert Hall Weir (October 16, 1947–) is an American guitar player, most recognized as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. ...

Between 1962 and 1964, Garcia sang and performed mainly bluegrass, old-time and folk music. One of the bands Garcia was known to perform with was the Sleepy Hollow Hog Stompers, a bluegrass act. The group consisted of Jerry Garcia on guitar, banjo, vocals, and harmonica, Marshall Leicester on banjo, guitar, and vocals, and Dick Arnold on fiddle and vocals.^[20] Soon thereafter, Garcia joined a local bluegrass and folk band called Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions, whose membership also included Ron "Pigpen" McKernan. Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music. ... West Virginia fiddler Edden Hammons, accompanied by his son James on the banjo Old-time music is a form of North American folk music, with roots in the folk musics of many countries, including England, Scotland and Ireland, as well as the continent of Africa. ... Folk music can have a number of different meanings, including: Traditional music: The original meaning of the term folk music was synonymous with the term Traditional music, also often including World Music and Roots music; the term Traditional music was given its more specific meaning to distinguish it from the... Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music. ... Folk music can have a number of different meanings, including: Traditional music: The original meaning of the term folk music was synonymous with the term Traditional music, also often including World Music and Roots music; the term Traditional music was given its more specific meaning to distinguish it from the... This page is about a musician. ...

Around this time, the psychedelic LSD was beginning to gain prominence. Garcia first began experimenting with LSD in 1964; later, when asked how it changed his life, he remarked: "Well, it changed everything [...] the effect was that it freed me because I suddenly realized that my little attempt at having a straight life and doing that was really a fiction and just wasn't going to work out. Luckily I wasn't far enough into it for it to be shattering or anything; it was like a realization that just made me feel immensely relieved".^[8] LSD redirects here. ...

In 1965, Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions evolved into the Warlocks, with the addition of Phil Lesh on bass guitar and Bill Kreutzmann on percussion. However, the band quickly learned that another group was already performing under their newly selected name, prompting another name change. After several suggestions, Garcia came up with the name by opening either an old Oxford^[8] or Britannica World Language Dictionary.^[10] He was then promptly greeted with the "Grateful Dead".^[8][9][10] The definition provided for "Grateful Dead" was "a dead person, or his angel, showing gratitude to someone who, as an act of charity, arranged their burial."^[21] The band's immediate reaction was disapproval.^[8][9] Garcia later explained the group's feelings towards the name: "I didn't like it really, I just found it to be really powerful. [Bob] Weir didn't like it, [Bill] Kreutzmann didn't like it and nobody really wanted to hear about it. [...]"^[8] Despite their dislike of the name, it quickly spread by word of mouth, and soon became their official title. Phillip Chapman Lesh (born March 15, 1940 in Berkeley, California) is a musician and founding member of the rock band, Grateful Dead; he played bass guitar in that group throughout their entire 30-year career. ... A sunburst-colored Precision Bass The electric bass guitar (or electric bass; pronounced , as in base) is a bass stringed instrument played with the fingers (either by plucking, slapping, popping, or tapping) or using a pick. ... Bill Kreutzmann (born May 7, 1946 in Palo Alto, California) was the drummer for legendary rock band the Grateful Dead for their entire 30-year career. ... A drum kit (or drum set or trap set) is a collection of drums, cymbals and sometimes other percussion instruments, such as a cowbell, wood block, chimes or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single drummer. ... This article is about the city of Oxford in England. ... The Encyclopædia Britannica is a general English-language encyclopaedia published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. ...

Career with the Grateful Dead

Garcia served as lead guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of the Grateful Dead for their entire career. Garcia composed such songs as "Dark Star",^[22] "Franklin's Tower",^[22] and "Scarlet Begonias",^[22] among many others. Robert Hunter, an ardent collaborator with the band, contributed lyrics to all but a few of Garcia's songs. Lead guitar refers to a role within a band, that provides melody or melodic material, as opposed to the rhythm of the rhythm guitar, bass, and drums. ... For other uses, see Singer (disambiguation). ... A songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics to songs, the musical composition or melody to songs, or both. ... Dark Star is a song by the Grateful Dead. ... Scarlet Begonias is a song originally performed by the Grateful Dead. ... Robert C. Hunter (born June 23, 1941) is an American lyricist, singer songwriter, and poet, best known for his association with Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead. ...

Garcia was well-noted for his "soulful extended guitar improvisations",^[2] which would frequently feature interplay between himself and his fellow band members. His fame, as well as the band's, arguably rested on their ability to never play a song the same way twice.^[3] Often, Garcia would take cues from rhythm guitarist Bob Weir on when to solo, remarking that "there are some [...] kinds of ideas that would really throw me if I had to create a harmonic bridge between all the things going on rhythmically with two drums and Phil [Lesh's] innovative bass playing. Weir's ability to solve that sort of problem is extraordinary. [...] Harmonically, I take a lot of my solo cues from Bob."^[23] Rhythm guitar is a guitar that is primarily used to provide rhythmic and harmonic accompaniment for a singer or for other instruments in an ensemble. ... Robert Hall Weir (October 16, 1947–) is an American guitar player, most recognized as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. ...

Jerry Garcia in concert on December 31, 1976. He is performing with a Travis Bean guitar. His principal instrument at the time, named Wolf, was receiving repairs.

When asked to describe his approach to soloing, Garcia commented: "It keeps on changing. I still basically revolve around the melody and the way it’s broken up into phrases as I perceive them. With most solos, I tend to play something that phrases the way the melody does; my phrases may be more dense or have different value, but they’ll occur in the same places in the song. [...]"^[24] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1976 Pick up sticks(MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Travis Bean is an American luthier and machinist from California. ...

Garcia and the band toured almost constantly from their formation in 1965 until Garcia's in death in 1995, a stint which gave credit to the name "endless tour". Periodically, there were breaks due to exhaustion or health problems, often due to unstable health and drug use of Garcia. During their three decade span, the Grateful Dead played 2,314 shows.^[3]

Garcia's mature guitar-playing melded elements from the various kinds of music that had enthralled him. Echoes of bluegrass playing (such as Arthur Smith and Doc Watson) could be heard. But the "roots music" behind bluegrass had its influence, too, and melodic riffs from Celtic fiddle jigs can be distinguished.^{[citation needed]} There was also early rock (like Lonnie Mack, James Burton and Chuck Berry), contemporary blues (such as Freddie King and Lowell Fulson), country and western (such as Roy Nichols and Don Rich), and jazz (like Charlie Christian) to be heard in Jerry's style. Don Rich was the sparkling country guitar player in Buck Owens's "Buckaroos" band of the 1960s, but besides Rich's style, both Garcia's pedal steel guitar playing (on Grateful Dead records and others) and his standard electric guitar work, were influenced by another of Owens's Buckaroos of that time, pedal-steel player Tom Blumley. And as an improvisational soloist, John Coltrane was one of his greatest personal and musical influences. Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music. ... Arthur Smith (born April 1, 1921 in Clinton, South Carolina) is an American musician and songwriter. ... Doc Watson Merle Watson, c. ... Celtic music is a term utilized by artists, record companies, music stores and music magazines to describe a broad grouping of musical genres that evolved out of the folk musical traditions of the Celtic peoples of Northern Europe. ... Rock and roll (also spelled Rock n Roll, especially in its first decade), also called rock, is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles. ... Lonnie Mack (born Lonnie McIntosh, 18 July 1941, Harrison, Indiana) is an influential rock and blues guitarist. ... James Burton (born August 21, 1939 in Minden, Louisiana) is an American guitarist. ... Charles Edward Anderson Chuck Berry (born 18 October 1926, St. ... Blues music redirects here. ... Freddie King (September 3, 1934 – December 28, 1976) was an influential American blues guitarist and singer, best known for his recordings Hide Away, Have You Ever Loved A Woman and Going Down. // King was born Frederick Christian in Gilmer, Texas on September 3, 1934. ... country music, see Country music (disambiguation) Country music, the first half of Billboards country and western music category, is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States. ... Roy Nichols (October 21, 1932 – July 3, 2001) was a United States country music guitarist best known as the lead guitarist for Merle Haggard for more than two decades. ... This article, image, template or category belongs in one or more categories. ... For other uses, see Jazz (disambiguation). ... Charlie Christian (29 July 1916 – 2 March 1942) was an American jazz guitarist. ... Alvis Edgar Buck Owens, Jr. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from 1960 to 1969. ... Pedal steel guitar with two 10-string necks The pedal steel guitar is a type of electric guitar that uses a metal slide to stop the strings, rather than fingers on strings as with a conventional guitar. ...

Garcia later described his playing style as having "descended from barroom rock and roll, country guitar. Just 'cause that's where all my stuff comes from. It's like that blues instrumental stuff that was happening in the late Fifties and early Sixties, like Freddie King."^[8] Garcia's style varied somewhat according to the song or instrumental to which he was contributing. His playing had a number of so-called "signatures" and, in his work through the years with the Grateful Dead, one of these was lead lines making much use of rhythmic triplets (examples include the songs "Good Morning Little School Girl", "New Speedway Boogie", "Brokedown Palace", "Deal", "Loser", "Truckin'", "That's It for the Other One", "U.S. Blues", "Sugaree", and "Don't Ease Me In"). Truckin is a song by the Grateful Dead, which first appeared on their 1970 album American Beauty. ... Sugaree is a song written by long-time Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter and composed by guitarist Jerry Garcia. ...

Side projects

In addition to the Grateful Dead, Garcia had numerous side projects, the most notable being the Jerry Garcia Band. He was also involved with various acoustic projects such as Old and in the Way and other bluegrass bands, including collaborations with noted bluegrass mandolinist David Grisman (the documentary film Grateful Dawg chronicles the deep, long-term friendship between Garcia and Grisman). Jerome John Jerry Garcia (August 1, 1942 – August 9, 1995) was famous as guitarist and primary singer of the psychedelic rock band the Grateful Dead, though his extensive career involved many other projects. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music. ... This article is about the musical instrument. ... David Grisman David Grisman (born March 23, 1945 in Hackensack, New Jersey) is a noted bluegrass/newgrass mandolinist and composer of acoustic music. ... Grateful Dawg is a 2000 documentary film which chronicles the friendship and musical relationship of musicians Jerry Garcia and David Grisman. ...

Other groups of which Garcia was a member at one time or another include the Black Mountain Boys, Legion of Mary, Reconstruction, and the Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band. Jerry Garcia was also an appreciative fan of jazz artists and improvisation: he played with jazz keyboardists Merl Saunders and Howard Wales for many years in various groups and jam sessions, and he appeared on saxophonist Ornette Coleman's 1988 album, Virgin Beauty. The Legion of Mary was a side project of the Grateful Deads lead guitarist, singer, and defacto leader Jerry Garcia. ... Reconstruction was a band that John Kahn put together to play when Jerry was busy with the Grateful Dead. ... This article or section needs to be wikified. ... For other uses, see Jazz (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Jazz (disambiguation). ... Merl Saunders (sometimes spelled Merle), born February 14, 1934, is a multi-genre musician who plays piano and keyboards, favoring the Hammond B3 organ. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... A saxophonist is a musician who plays the saxophone. ... Ornette Coleman (born March 9, 1930) is an American saxophonist, violinist, trumpeter and composer. ... Ornette Coleman (born March 9, 1930) is an American saxophonist, violinist, trumpeter and composer. ...

The album cover of Garcia (1972), Garcia's debut solo album. Several of the songs featured on the album eventually became concert staples of the Grateful Dead.

Garcia also spent a lot of time in the recording studio helping out fellow musician friends in session work, often adding guitar, vocals, pedal steel, sometimes banjo and piano and even producing. He played on over 50 studio albums the styles of which were eclectic and varied, including bluegrass, rock, folk, blues, country, jazz, electronic music, gospel, funk, and reggae. Artists who sought Garcia's help included the likes of Jefferson Airplane (most notably Surrealistic Pillow), Tom Fogerty, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, David Bromberg, Robert Hunter, the late Paul Pena, Peter Rowan, Warren Zevon, Country Joe McDonald, Ken Nordine, Ornette Coleman, Bruce Hornsby, Bob Dylan and many more. He was also one of the first musicians to really cover in depth motown music in the early-1970s and probably the most prolific coverer of Bob Dylan songs. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Garcia is Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcias first solo album, released in 1972. ... Surrealistic Pillow is an album by American psychedelic band Jefferson Airplane, released in February of 1967. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, also called The Seventies. ...

Throughout the early-1970s, Garcia, Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh, drummer Mickey Hart, and David Crosby collaborated intermittently with MIT-educated composer and biologist Ned Lagin on several projects in the realm of early electronica; these include the album Seastones (released by the Dead on their Round Records subsidiary) and L, an unfinished dance work. Phillip Chapman Lesh (born March 15, 1940 in Berkeley, California) is a musician and founding member of the rock band, Grateful Dead; he played bass guitar in that group throughout their entire 30-year career. ... Mickey Hart (born September 11, 1943) is a percussionist and musicologist. ... David Van Cortlandt Crosby (born August 14, 1941) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. ... Although often uncredited, Ned Lagin played keyboards at a number of the Grateful Deads live shows between 1970 and 1975. ... Electronica refers to a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; but unlike electronic dance music, is not specifically focused on the dance floor. ...

Garcia also lent pedal-steel guitar playing to fellow-San Francisco musicians New Riders of the Purple Sage from their initial dates in 1969 to October 1971, when increased commitments with the Dead forced him to opt out of the group. He appears as a band member on their debut album New Riders of the Purple Sage, and produced Home, Home On The Road, a 1974 live album by the band. He also contributed pedal steel guitar to the enduring hit "Teach Your Children" by Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young. Jerry also played steel guitar licks on Brewer & Shipley's 1970 album Tarkio. Despite considering himself a novice on the pedal steel and having all but given up the instrument by 1973, he routinely ranked high in player polls. After a long lapse, he played it once more with Bob Dylan in 1987. This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... New Riders of the Purple Sage New Riders of the Purple Sage was a 1970s country rock band from Marin County, California. ... New Riders of the Purple Sage is the debut album by The New Riders of the Purple Sage. ... Crosby, Stills, & Nash (sometimes known as Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young) is a pioneering folk rock/rock supergroup that formed out of the remnants of three 1960s bands the Buffalo Springfield, the Byrds, and the Hollies. ... Brewer & Shipley were a folk rock duo comprised of Mike Brewer and Tom Shipley. ... Tarkio (1970), the third album released by Brewer & Shipley, was their most popular recording yielding two hit songs: One Toke Over the Line and Tarkio Road. The title came about when they left California in 1969 returning to the Midwest, this time to Kansas City, MO, where they played college... This article is about the recording artist. ...

An avid reader and cinefile, Garcia was particularly fond of Kurt Vonnegut's The Sirens of Titan and owned the novel's film rights for many years, struggling to adapt it with the likes of Al Franken. This article is about the Kurt Vonnegut novel The Sirens of Titan. For other uses, see Siren (disambiguation). ... Alan Stuart Al Franken (born May 21, 1951) is an Emmy Award–winning American comedian, actor, author, screenwriter, political commentator, radio host and, recently, politician. ...

Having studied art at the San Francisco Art Institute, Garcia embarked on a second career in the visual arts. He offered for sale and auction to the public a number of illustrations, lithographs, and water colors. Some of those pieces became the basis of a line of men's neckties characterized by bright colors and abstract patterns. Even in 2005, ten years after Garcia's death, new styles and designs continue to be produced and sold. This article is about the philosophical concept of Art. ... Founded in 1871, the San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI) is one of the U.S.’s older and more prestigious schools of higher education in contemporary art. ...

Personal life

Garcia met his first wife, Sara Ruppenthal Garcia, in 1963.^[10] She was working at the coffee house in the back of Kepler's Bookstore where Garcia, Hunter, and Nelson performed. They married on April 23 of the same year, and had their only child together, a girl, whom they named Heather, on December 8, 1963.^[25] is the 113th day of the year (114th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 342nd day of the year (343rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Garcia was subjected to a handful of drug busts during his lifetime. On October 2, 1967, 710 Ashbury was raided after police were tipped off by an informant.^[10] The police action resulted in most of the Grateful Dead being apprehended (sans Phil Lesh, Jerry Garcia, and Garcia's future wife Carolyn "Mountain Girl" Adams). Strangely, Garcia and Adams were led out of the residence by the very same informant shortly before it was raided. is the 275th day of the year (276th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. ... Mountain Girl, also known as Carolyn Adams, was a Merry Prankster and the wife of Jerry Garcia. ...

A photograph of Jerry Garcia with the Grateful Dead on March 27, 1983. Garcia is performing with Tiger, a custom-made guitar which he used for eleven years. Rhythm guitarist Bob Weir is depicted in wild movement to the left of Garcia.

Another seizure was experienced in January of 1970, after the Grateful Dead flew to New Orleans from Hawaii.^[10] After returning from a recent performance, the band checked into their rooms, only to be quickly raided by police. Around fifteen people were arrested on the spot, including many of the road crew, management, and nearly all of the Grateful Dead (except Garcia, who arrived later, and Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, who wasn't doing substances at the time).^[10] A month later on February 2, 1970, Adams gave birth to a girl named Annabelle Walker Garcia.^[25] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... is the 86th day of the year (87th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar). ... Tiger was Jerry Garcias main guitar from 1979 to 1990. ... New Orleans is the largest city in the state of Louisiana, United States of America. ... Official language(s) English, Hawaiian Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Area  Ranked 43rd  - Total 10,931 sq mi (29,311 km²)  - Width n/a miles (n/a km)  - Length 1,522 miles (2,450 km)  - % water 41. ... is the 33rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1970 ([[Rf 1970 == January 1 - The Unix epoch begins at 00:00:00 UTC January 2 - The last studio performance of The Beatles oman numerals|MCMLXX]]) was a common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

During August of 1970, Garcia's mother Ruth was involved in a car accident near Twin Peaks in San Francisco.^[10] Garcia, who was recording the album American Beauty at the time, often left the sessions to visit his mother with his brother Clifford. She later died on September 28, 1970. That same year, Garcia participated in the soundtrack for the film Zabriskie Point. The Twin Peaks. ... San Francisco redirects here. ... American Beauty can refer to: A variety of rose: American Beauty rose American Beauty, a film starring Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Mena Suvari, and Thora Birch American Beauty, an album by the Grateful Dead American Beauty Rag, a classic ragtime composition by Joseph Lamb, published in 1913. ... is the 271st day of the year (272nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1970 ([[Rf 1970 == January 1 - The Unix epoch begins at 00:00:00 UTC January 2 - The last studio performance of The Beatles oman numerals|MCMLXX]]) was a common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... In film formats, the soundtrack is the physical area of the film which records the synchronized sound. ... Zabriskie Point is a 1970 film by Michelangelo Antonioni that depicts the U.S. counterculture movement of that time. ...

On September 21, 1974, Adams gave birth to Garcia's third daughter, Teresa Adams Garcia.^[25] In 1975, around the time Blues for Allah was being created, Garcia met Deborah Koons, the woman who would much later become his third wife and widow.^[10] He began seeing her while he was still involved with Adams, with whom Koons had a less-than-perfect relationship. Garcia and Koons eventually went different ways. is the 264th day of the year (265th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ... Blues for Allah is a 1975 album by the Grateful Dead. ...

Influenced by the stresses of creating and releasing The Grateful Dead Movie in 1977, Garcia began using cocaine, later progressing to smokable heroin. This, combined with the drug use of several other members of the Grateful Dead, produced turbulent times for the band; starting in 1981, the band's chemistry began "cracking and crumbling,"^[10] resulting in poor live performances and group cohesion. The so-called "endless tour," the result of years of financial risks and mistakes, also became extremely taxing. During the same year, Garcia married Adams, making her his second wife. Several cameras captured the Grateful Deads Final run at the Winterland Arena in San Francisco, CA. Filmed over 4 nights in October of 1974, released in 1977. ... Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. ... For other uses, see Heroin (disambiguation). ...

Garcia's use of heroin increased heavily over the next seven years, eventually culminating in the rest of the Grateful Dead holding an intervention in 1984.^[10] Given the choice between the band or the drugs, Garcia readily agreed to check into a rehabilitation center in Oakland, California. In 1985, nearing the completion of his program in Oakland, Garcia was arrested for drug possession in Golden Gate Park; Garcia subsequently attended a drug diversion program. For other uses, see Heroin (disambiguation). ... An intervention is an orchestrated attempt by one, or often many, people (usually family and friends) to get someone to seek professional help with an addiction or some kind of traumatic event or crisis. ... Oakland redirects here. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... Drug possession is the crime of having one or more illegal drugs in ones possession, either for personal use, distribution, sale or otherwise. ... Golden Gate Park, located in San Francisco, California, is a large urban park. ...

The album cover of American Beauty (1970), considered to be the magnum opus of the Grateful Dead.^[26] It included such songs as "Ripple", "Box of Rain", "Friend of the Devil", and "Truckin'".

Precipitated by an unhealthy weight, bad eating habits, and drug use, Garcia collapsed into a diabetic coma in 1986, waking up five days later.^[3][4] Garcia later spoke about this period of unconsciousness as surreal: "Well, I had some very weird experiences. My main experience was one of furious activity and tremendous struggle in a sort of futuristic, space-ship vehicle with insectoid presences. After I came out of my coma, I had this image of myself as these little hunks of protoplasm that were stuck together kind of like stamps with perforations between them that you could snap off."^[9] Garcia's coma had a profound effect on him: it forced him to have to relearn how to play the guitar, as well as other, more basic skills. Within a handful of months, Garcia quickly recovered, playing with the Jerry Garcia Band and the Grateful Dead again later that year.^[10] Garcia frequently saw a woman named Manasha Matheson during this period. Together they produced Garcia's fourth and final child, a girl named Keelin Noel Garcia, who was born December 20, 1987.^[25] Jerry, Keelin and Manasha toured and shared a home together as a family until 1993. During the creation of Built to Last in 1989, Garcia relapsed. In 1991, Garcia was confronted by the Grateful Dead with another intervention. After a disastrous meeting, Garcia invited Phil Lesh over to his home in San Rafael, California, where he explained that after the meeting he would start attending a methadone clinic. Garcia cited that he simply wanted to clean up in his own way.^[10] Cover of the Grateful Dead album American Beauty. ... Cover of the Grateful Dead album American Beauty. ... American Beauty is the fifth album by the Grateful Dead. ... Magnum opus (sometimes Opus magnum, plural magna opera), from the Latin meaning great work,[1] refers to the best, most popular, or most renowned achievement of an author, artist, or composer, and most commonly one who has contributed a very large amount of material. ... Box of Rain is a song by the Grateful Dead, off their 1970 album American Beauty. ... Friend of the Devil is a song recorded by the Grateful Dead. ... Truckin is a song by the Grateful Dead, which first appeared on their 1970 album American Beauty. ... An electric guitar is a type of guitar that uses pickups to convert the vibration of its steel-cored strings into electrical current, which is then amplified. ... is the 354th day of the year (355th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... Built to Last is a 1989 album by the Grateful Dead. ... Phillip Chapman Lesh (born March 15, 1940 in Berkeley, California) is a musician and founding member of the rock band, Grateful Dead; he played bass guitar in that group throughout their entire 30-year career. ... San Rafael (IPA: ; originally IPA: ), is the county seat of Marin County, California, United States. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... Methadone is a synthetic opioid, used medically as an analgesic and anti-addictive. ...

After returning from the Grateful Dead's 1992 summer tour, Garcia became extremely sick, evidently a throwback to his diabetic coma in 1986.^[10] Refusing to go to the hospital, he instead enlisted the aid of an acupuncturist and a licensed doctor to treat him personally at home. Garcia recovered over the next following days, despite the Grateful Dead having to cancel their fall tour to allow him time to recuperate. Following his episode, Garcia began losing weight to better himself. Acupuncture chart from Hua Shou (fl. ...

In the beginning of the Grateful Dead's 1993 tour, Garcia and his girlfriend Barbara Meier separated after meeting during December of 1992. In 1994, Garcia encountered Deborah Koons, with whom he had been involved around 1975; she married Garcia on February 14, 1994, in Sausalito, California. The wedding was attended by family and friends.^[10] Garcia previously divorced Adams in January of 1994. is the 45th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... Sausalito is a city in the San Francisco Bay Area situated in Marin County, California, United States. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ...

During the beginning of 1995, Garcia's condition, both physically and mentally, began to decline. His playing ability suffered to the point where he would turn down the volume of his guitar, and he often had to be reminded of what song he was performing.^[10]

In light of his drug relapse in 1989 and current condition, Garcia checked himself into the Betty Ford Center during July of 1995. His stay was limited, however, lasting only two weeks. Garcia, motivated by the experience, then checked into the Serenity Knolls treatment center in Forest Knolls, California.^[4][27] The Betty Ford Center is a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center in Rancho Mirage, California co-founded by former United States First Lady Betty Ford and her friend, Ambassador Leonard Firestone, in 1982. ... Lagunitas and Forest Knolls are census-designate