Jerry Garcia

Jerry Garcia, (born Jerome John Garcia), (August 1, 1942 - August 9, 1995) became one of the most intently studied musicians in history. He started on the piano, moved to guitar and eventually became a master on many stringed instruments despite the loss of a finger in his youth. Garcia was born in San Francisco, California.

After an aborted career in the US army, he became involved in the psychedelic revolution and subsequent musical movement brewing in the San Francisco Bay Area in the mid 1960s. Jerry Garcia's outlet was music, and his subsequent involvement with the Grateful Dead was to see his fame burgeon. He even met one future member of the Grateful Dead when he was teaching the guitar. From 1965-1995 the band toured almost constantly, developing a fan base, known as Dead Heads, renowned for its intensity and devotion.

In addition to the Grateful Dead, (who very frequently toured for long periods), he had numerous side projects. The most notable being the Jerry Garcia Band which had a variety of several different groupings of musicians, often described as Jerry Garcia Band, Legion of Mary, Reconstruction, and finally The Jerry Garcia Band, he also was involved with various acoustic vehicles such as Old and In the Way, and other Bluegrass bands, including collaborations with David Grisman.

Having studied art at the California Academy of Art, he made a second career around the uses of his art on ties at first, and later Birkenstocks. He experimented with various recreational drugs, and was never really able to kick the habit. Jerry Garcia died August 9, 1995 of heart trouble. On his passing, he was even honored by the president as being an American Icon.

In 1987, ice cream manufacturers Ben and Jerry named one of their flavors Cherry Garcia after this musician.

External links

http://www.thejerrysite.com/

http://www.deadlists.com/

http://www.setlists.net/

http://arts.ucsc.edu/gdead/agdl/

Some of Jerry's Artwork