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About a thousand people have gathered annually since 2002 to celebrate Jerry Garcia's life on the first Sunday of August with an event known as [http://www.jerryday.org/ Jerry Day].
About a thousand people have gathered annually since 2002 to celebrate Jerry Garcia's life on the first Sunday of August with an event known as [http://www.jerryday.org/ Jerry Day].


A Candian fan named her pet bunny [[Jerry Garcia]]. The rabbit is grey and white and reminded her of the song ''touch of grey'' when the lyrics say "Oh well a touch of grey, kinda suits you anyway". [[http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v198/opium_eyes/bunny001.jpg]]


==Discography==
==Discography==

Revision as of 03:25, 18 April 2007

Jerry Garcia

Jerome John "Jerry" Garcia (August 1, 1942 – August 9, 1995) was an American musician best known for being the lead guitarist and vocalist of the psychedelic rock band the Grateful Dead.

Performing with the Grateful Dead for its entire three decade career, Garcia participated in a variety of side projects, including the Jerry Garcia Band and Old and in the Way, as well as several solo albums.

Later in life, Garcia was sometimes ill due to his unstable weight.[1] After experiencing a diabetic coma that almost cost him his life in 1986, Garcia endeavored to live on healthier terms until his sudden death in rehabilitation during 1995.[1]

Early years

Jerome John Garcia was born in San Francisco, California, on August 1, 1942, to Jose Ramon Garcia and Ruth Marie Clifford.[2][3] His parents named him after the famous composer Jerome Kern.[2] Garcia was their second and final child, preceded by Clifford Garcia, who was born in 1937. His paternal grandfather, Manuel Garcia, was born in Spain.[3]

Garcia was influenced by music at an early age,[4] taking piano lessons for much of his childhood.[5] His father, Jose, was employed as a professional musician, and his mother, Ruth, a hospital nurse,[6] enjoyed playing the piano.[2] Also, his father's extended family (he had emigrated from Spain in 1919) would often sing during reunions.[4]

At the age of four,[6] Garcia experienced the amputation of two-thirds of his right middle finger.[2] Given the chore of steadying wood while his 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.

Garcia, only a year after losing a segment of his finger, witnessed the death of his father. While camping with his family near Arcata in 1947, his father brought him along when he went fly-fishing; his father soon slipped, plunged into the deep rapids of the Trinity River, and drowned, much to his shock and horror.[2][6]

Having listened to music by Chuck Berry,[5] Buddy Holly, and Eddie Cochran during his youth, Garcia's one wish was to have an electric guitar. On his 15th birthday, his mother purchased him an accordion, which he pleaded with her to exchange for a guitar.[2][4][6] She eventually relented, buying a Danelectro with a small amplifier.[4]

During the following summer, Garcia took up an art program at the San Francisco Art Institute; art was Garcia's other love besides music. There, he furthered his drawing talents, and produced images "almost Escher-like, but at once more figurative and more abstract."[6]

Around 1958, Garcia attended tenth grade at Balboa High School. During this period, he was introduced to marijuana.[4] 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."[4]

In 1959, Garcia would meet Phil Lesh, who would later serve as the bassist for the Grateful Dead.[6] After Lesh had driven down to the Château (a communal home that was rented out, and was home to some of the Grateful Dead), he arrived to hear Garcia performing, and was later introduced to him. Lesh would later write that he resemble the "composer Claude Debussy: dark, curly hair, goatee, Impressionist eyes."[6]

Garcia would later drop out of Balboa High School in his junior year and enlist in the United States Army.[4] After completing Basic Training and Service School Training as an auto maintenance helper at Fort Ord, Garcia was stationed at Fort Winfield Scott in San Francisco's Presidio.[4] Garcia was still spending his hours at his leisure, picking up the acoustic guitar after being introduced to the instrument by fellow soldier Lt. Eligh Hanning.[citation needed] He was given a general discharge on December 14, 1960, after accruing two courts martial and eight AWOLs.[citation needed]

After his discharge, Garcia drove down to Palo Alto[6] to experience the alternative scene then surrounding Stanford University.[4] Garcia began to realize that he needed to begin devoutly playing the guitar, unhappily compromised by giving up his love of visual art, a move softened by the sheer talent of his friend Paul Speegle.[2] Speegle would later be involved in a car accident with Garcia, with only Garcia surviving.

Garcia would soon meet Robert Hunter, who would later go on to become a long-time lyrical collaborator with the Grateful Dead.[2] Living out of his car next to Robert Hunter in a lot behind the Château,[6] Garcia and Hunter began to participate in the local art and musical scene, sometimes playing at Kepler's Books.[2] Garcia performed his first concert with Hunter, each earning five dollars. Garcia and Hunter would also play in a band with David Nelson, a contributer to a few Grateful Dead albums, labeled the Wildwood Boys.[6]

After attending another party where Garcia performed, Phil Lesh suggested that the two of them record some songs, with the intention of playing them on the Midnight Special on KPFA.[6] 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".[6]

Garcia soon began playing and teaching acoustic guitar and banjo during this time.[6] One of Garcia's students was Bob Matthews, who later engineered many of the Grateful Dead's albums.[7] 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.[7]

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.[8] Soon thereafter, Garcia joined a local bluegrass and folk band called Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions, whose membership also included Ron "Pigpen" McKernan.

Around this time, the psychedelic LSD was beginning to gain prominence. Garcia would 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".[4]

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. Eventually, the band learned that another band was already called the Warlocks, a band led by Billy Gibbons, the future guitarist of ZZ Top. After several suggestions, Garcia came up with the name by opening either an old Oxford[4] or Britannica World Language Dictionary,[6] and was greeted with the "Grateful Dead".[4][5][6] The definition provided for "Grateful Dead" was "a song meant to show a lost soul to the other side."[9] The band's immediate reaction was disapproval.[4][5] Over time, however, people began to call the band by the name, and it stuck.

Career with the Grateful Dead

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.

Garcia would later describe 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."[4]

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").

In 1967, Jerry Garcia lived at 710 Ashbury Street in San Francisco,[4] in the heart of the Haight Ashbury district and played at the Human Be-In which inaugurated the Summer of Love.[citation needed]

From 1965 to 1995, the Grateful Dead toured almost constantly, developing a fan base known as deadheads, renowned for their intensity of devotion. Some fans dedicated their lives to the band, following the Grateful Dead from concert to concert, making a living by selling handmade goods, arts, crafts, and drugs.

Side projects

In addition to the Grateful Dead (who frequently toured for long periods), 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).

Other groups of which Garcia was a member at one time or another include the Black Mountain Boys [1], Legion of Mary [2], 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.

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 the Jefferson Airplane (most notably Surrealistic Pillow), Tom Fogerty, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, David Bromberg, Robert Hunter, 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.

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.

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, likely the most recognizable piece of music to feature the guitarist. 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.

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.

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.

Personal life and death

Garcia married three times and had four daughters.[1] With his first wife, Sara Ruppenthal Garcia, he had a daughter, Heather. With his second wife, Carolyn "Mountain Girl" Adams Garcia, he had two daughters, Anabelle and Theresa. His third wife was Deborah Koons Garcia. Jerry Garcia had a relationship with Manasha Matheson and had a fourth daughter with her, Keelin Garcia. He had one brother, Clifford "Tiff" Garcia.

Precipitated by an unhealthy weight, bad eating habits, and drug use, Garcia collapsed into a diabetic coma in 1986, waking up a few days later. When questioned later about whether he had a near-death experience, Garcia replied negatively, instead articulating his coma colorfully: "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."[5]

Garcia died on August 9, 1995, of a heart attack exacerbated by sleep apnea.[1] Garcia, who struggled with tobacco, drug addiction ,[1] and sleep apnea for much of his adult life, was staying at the Serenity Knolls treatment center in Forest Knolls, California, at the time.[1] His body was discovered on the floor of his room at 4:23 a.m.[1] On his passing, he was honored by President Clinton as being "an American icon."[citation needed]

Memorial services were held in Golden Gate Park on August 13, 1995. Along with the band members, his family and friends, thousands of fans were present, many singing and playing in drum circles. Deborah Koons Garcia and Bob Weir, just after dawn on April 4, 1996, spread Garcia's ashes on the Ganges River 155 miles north of New Delhi, the idea of which came to Weir in a dream.[citation needed]

Legacy

In 1987, ice cream manufacturers Ben & Jerry's came out with Cherry Garcia, which is named after the guitarist and consists of "cherry ice cream with cherries and fudge flakes." It made history as the first ice cream flavor named after a musician, and it quickly became the most popular Ben & Jerry's flavor. For a month after Garcia's death, the ice cream was made with black cherries as a way of mourning.

Garcia was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Grateful Dead in 1994.

In 2003, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked Jerry Garcia #13 in their list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time [10].

On July 21, 2005, the San Francisco Recreation and Park Commission passed a resolution to name the amphitheater in McLaren Park "The Jerry Garcia Amphitheater."[11] The amphitheater is located in the Excelsior District, where Garcia grew up. The first show to happen at the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater was Jerry Day 2005 on August 7, 2005. Tiff Garcia was the first person to welcome everybody to the "Jerry Garcia Amphitheater." Jerry Day is an annual celebration of Jerry in his childhood neighborhood. The dedication ceremony (Jerry Day 2) on October 29, 2005 was officiated by mayor Gavin Newsom.

On September 24, 2005, the Comes a Time: A Celebration of the Music & Spirit of Jerry Garcia tribute concert was held at the Hearst Greek Theatre in Berkeley, California. [12] The concert featured Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann, Mickey Hart, Bruce Hornsby, Trey Anastasio, Warren Haynes, Jimmy Herring, Michael Kang, Jay Lane, Jeff Chimenti, Mark Karan, Robin Sylvester, Kenny Brooks, Gloria Jones, and Jackie LaBranch. Two of Garcia's longtime bandmates and friends, Phil Lesh and Robert Hunter did not attend. Phil Lesh stated that "my son went away to college and we had all kinds of family things going that week."[13]

About a thousand people have gathered annually since 2002 to celebrate Jerry Garcia's life on the first Sunday of August with an event known as Jerry Day.


A Candian fan named her pet bunny Jerry Garcia. The rabbit is grey and white and reminded her of the song touch of grey when the lyrics say "Oh well a touch of grey, kinda suits you anyway". [[3]]

Discography

See also

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Stratton, Jerry (1995). "Collection of news accounts on Jerry Garcia's death" (html). Jerry Garcia: New Accounts First. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Jerry Garcia: a SF mission upbringing" (htm). Retrieved 2007-04-03.
  3. ^ a b Reitwiesner, William Addams. "Ancestry of Jerry Garcia" (html). Famous ancestries. Retrieved 2007-04-05.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Wenner, Jann and Reich, Dr. Charles (1972). "Jerry Garcia interview". Rolling Stone. Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2007-04-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ a b c d e Brown, David Jay and Novick, Rebecca McClean. "Mavericks of the Mind: Conversations for the New Millennium". Mavericks of the Mind – Internet Edition. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Lesh, Phil (2005). Searching for the Sound: My Life with the Grateful Dead. Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 0-316-00998-9.
  7. ^ a b Metzger, John (2005). "Traveling So Many Roads with Bob Matthews". The Music Box. Retrieved 2007-04-04.
  8. ^ Garcia, Jerry; Leicester, Marshall; and Arnold, Dick (1962). "Vintage Jerry Garcia/Sleepy Hollow Hog Stompers 1962". Community Tracker. eTree. Retrieved 2007-04-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ Stories about the "Grateful Dead" appear in many cultures. The Jewish version is set out in The Book of Tobit. A common element is the soul of a dead person, or his angel, showing gratitude to someone who, as an act of charity, arranged their burial.
  10. ^ "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time". Rolling Stone Issue 931. Rolling Stone.
  11. ^ "Jerry Garcia Amphitheater / San Francisco Parks District".
  12. ^ "Trey, Weir Honor Garcia". Rolling Stone. 2005-09-26. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  13. ^ "Double Down Stage Spotlight: Phil Lesh & Friends". Las Vegas Weekly. 2005-10-27. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)



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