New Minglewood Blues: Remembering Jerry Garcia

Today would have been Jerry Garcia’s 70^th birthday.

The Grateful Dead was not just a band—they were an experience. I remember my dad telling me a story about his first Dead experience. As a young boy in 1973, he convinced his parents to let him take the car to a music festival. The Dead, of course, was the headlining act, along with two other bands. Once they arrived, they found themselves lost in a sea of cars, thousands and thousands of cars, waiting for the gates to open. They couldn’t gain access to the venue until the next morning, so my dad, together with his friend and their two dates, joined in with the agony of the wait.

It was late at night, and the crowd was restless. My dad wanted to sleep, hoping that time would slowly fade into morning. However, when he heard that familiar screeching sound of a guitar plugging into an amp, his head popped up.

Jerry Garcia was standing on a poorly built stage, with Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, Mickey Hart and the rest of the group behind him. They were the only ones willing to put on a free pre-show for their awaiting and loyal fans. Something many bands, back then and today, would never dream of doing.

The Grateful Dead wasn’t just a band, they were an experience, and Jerry Garcia was their chief spokesperson. Since the Dead’s birth in 1965, they have endlessly toured for three decades, playing 2,314 shows. Jerry has been revered as one of the world’s greatest guitar players (Rolling Stone Magazine ranked him at lucky number 13!). His sound is a mix of bluegrass, country and early rock, and has enabled his band to skyrocket to the top of the psychedelic San Francisco scene.

In addition to his Dead feats, Garcia headed side projects, most famously The New Riders of the Purple Sage and The Jerry Garcia Band (great Beatles covers- he admitted "Dear Prudence" was one of his favorite songs). He worked as a solo artist and even collaborated with other bands. He helped Jefferson Airplane with their Surrealistic Pillow album, where he is named as their “spiritual advisor.” Garcia is remembered for being the first to truly cover Motown music in the early 1970’s, and is the most prolific Bob Dylan coverer (he also helped Dylan with a few albums as well).

Garcia died only 8 days after his 53^rd birthday. He had been struggling with his weight in addition to a severe addiction to heroin and cocaine. He died of a heart attack in a California drug rehabilitation facility on August 9, 1995.

In celebration, NCM Fathom Events will screen “The Grateful Dead Movie” at select movie theaters nationwide tonight only. Check out participating theaters here.

The Grateful Dead were virtually the leaders of the San Fran Hippie Revolution, and continued to spread their free-spirited message around the world. Now all we have left are the recordings and memories.

Happy birthday, Jerry Garcia. We certainly do miss you. Take a listen to some great songs below, and please note that they are all live, as that is the only way you can listen to the Dead.