“If we had any nerve at all, if we had any real balls as a society, or whatever you need, whatever quality you need, real character, we would make an effort to really address the wrongs in this society, righteously.” – Jerry Garcia
Lead guitarist, vocalist and principal songwriter for the Grateful Dead, Jerry Garcia has influenced music throughout the world. The Grateful Dead also included members Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, TC Constanten, Keith Godchaux, Donna Godchaux, David Grisman, Vince Welnik and Bruce Hornby over the band’s thirty year career — from 1965 to 1995. The Grateful Dead were a jam band whose sound encompassed a unique blend of Rock, Folk, Bluegrass, Blues, Jazz, Psychedelia and Space Rock. They were famous for being the very first jam band; they played extremely long sets and had a very loyal fan base of “deadheads” which followed the band around on their tours around the country. Garcia and his band mates toured almost constantly for almost the entirety of their thirty year career, only stopping if one of the members was suffering from health problems or exhaustion.
Jerry Garcia grew up in California and was musical from a very young age. He experienced several tragic events in youth – including having a finger chopped off by his brother while chopping wood, and watching his father drown in a fishing accident. Garcia lived in rough neighbourhoods as a boy and was often moved for his own safety by his parents. As a youth, Garcia survived a terrible car accident which killed a close friend; his survival pushed him into studying and playing music seriously.
Like Jimi Hendrix, Jerry Garcia spent time in the army but was discharged after about a year. He was admitted to the army by his parents as punishment for stealing his mother’s car, and did not enjoy being a soldier.
In Jerry Garcia’s personal views, he was accepting to African Americans and Jews, and disliked racism and anti-Semitism. He was passionate about social change through music, and spoke of a new cultural consciousness – an island forming within American society of Grateful Dead followers.
The Grateful Dead encouraged audience participation, saying “the audience became the show.” They often placed open microphones on the floor, to record singing, screams and shouts from the crowd. The Grateful Dead were famous for long playful concerts of improvisation, and no show repeated itself.
In his personal life, Jerry Garcia experimented and later struggled with drug abuse. He often described LSD as an eye opening experience; however he later struggled for many years with a heroin addiction.
Jerry Garcia died in 1995 of a heart attack while in a drug rehabilitation clinic. He was 53 years old at the time of his death. He left behind the legacy of more than 2,200 concerts, 15,000 hours of recorded guitar work in his various projects, and millions of fans and musicians who were changed by his music and pioneering spirit.