Jerry Garcia was undeniably one of the most well-known figures in the history of rock 'n' roll. His image and music are instantly recognizable to people around the world. Here are some interesting facts about him:
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= He was born on August 1, 1942, in San Francisco, California. His full name was Jerome John Garcia and he was named after the Broadway composer Jerome Kern.
= Jerry was surrounded by music as a child; his father was a professional musician, and his mother loved opera.
= At age 4, Jerry lost two-thirds of his right middle finger in a wood-chopping accident with his brother.
= At age five, Jerry witnessed his father's tragic death when he was swept away while fishing in a California river.
=Jerry had childhood asthma, which kept him bedridden and fostered a love for reading, especially comic books.
= He attended art classes at the California School of Fine Arts during high school, cultivating his lifelong passion for visual arts.
= Garcia received his first guitar as a gift from his mother in 1953. It was a Danelectro electric with a tiny Fender amplifier.
= His first idol on the guitar was Chuck Berry.
= In 1960 Jerry survived a car accident that killed a close friend, an event he considered a turning point in his life.
= In 1962 Garcia became a regular on the radio broadcast of The Midnight Special, a folk music show in Berkeley, California.
= In 1963 Jerry and Sarah Ruppenthal performed as "Jerry and Sarah," playing acoustic music from the 1920s and 1930s. Sarah later became Jerry's first wife.
= Jerry’s first band was a group called "the Chords". They won a contest and their reward was recording a song. They chose Bill Justis’s "Raunchy."
= He enlisted in the Army at 17 but was dishonorably discharged nine months later.
= Jerry’s first paid gig was with his future songwriting partner, Robert Hunter, under the name "Bob and Jerry". They earned five dollars each.
= In 1962, Jerry formed the bluegrass band "Hart Valley Drifters" with Robert Hunter, later known as the "Wildwood Boys".
= He met Bob Weir and founded "Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions". After seeing "the Beatles'" film "A Hard Day’s Night", Jerry was inspired to transition into an electric rock band.
= In 1965 the band evolved into "the Warlocks" and eventually became "the Grateful Dead", after discovering another band with the same name.
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= The band mixed blues, jazz, folk, country, bluegrass, rock and roll, gospel, reggae, and world music with psychedelia.
= The band was famous for improvisation during their live performances and attracted a devoted fan base, known as "Deadheads".
= "The Grateful Dead" name was chosen by Jerry after randomly picking it from a dictionary.
= Around this time, the psychedelic drug LSD was gaining popularity. Garcia first began using LSD in 1964. later, when asked how it changed his life, he remarked: "Well, it changed everything...".
= Jerry earned the nickname "Captain Trips" for his association with LSD, a major influence on the "Grateful Dead's" music and culture.
= Jerry became one of the originators of the "San Francisco Sound," along with artists like Janis Joplin.
= In 1966 "The Grateful Dead" released their first single, "Stealin’", with "Don't Ease Me In" on the flip side.
= The band's debut album - "The Grateful Dead" was released in 1967.
= Until 1989 the band released 13 studio albums, but their discography includes more than 200 albums, the majority of them recorded live in concert.
= Although "the Grateful Dead" played at "Woodstock" in 1969, they did not appear in the Woodstock movie because Jerry wasn’t satisfied with their performance.
= In 1970 "The Grateful Dead" released "Workingman's Dead" and "American Beauty", which helped solidify their iconic sound.
= Jerry collaborated with "Jefferson Airplane", contributing to their iconic album "Surrealistic Pillow" as a "spiritual advisor" and uncredited musician.
= He worked closely with David Crosby, playing on Crosby’s solo album "If I Could Only Remember My Name".
= Jerry also contributed to "Déjà Vu" by "Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young", adding his signature guitar work to the track "Teach Your Children". "CSNY" gave him lessons in vocal harmonies, which he successfully applied on subsequent albums of "The Grateful Dead" - "Workingman's Dead" and "American Beauty".
= He also worked with Paul Kantner on the "Blows Against the Empire" album, contributing guitar to this sci-fi concept record.
= Jerry was involved with the band "It's a Beautiful Day", playing pedal steel guitar on their debut album, most notably on the track "White Bird."
= In 1970 Jerry contributed to the soundtrack of Michelangelo Antonioni’s film "Zabriskie Point", composing and performing music for the movie's love scene.
= He collaborated with Stephen Stills on his 1970 self-titled debut album, contributing guitar to several tracks.
= He also contributed to Graham Nash's debut album "Songs for Beginners" from 1971.
= He also contributed to the "Hooteroll?" album by Howard Wales in 1971, blending jazz and rock in a unique fusion.
= The same year he was part of the country rock band "New Riders of the Purple Sage". They released their debut eponymous album the same year.
= Jerry also worked with Graham Nash and David Crosby, providing guitar for their album "Graham Nash David Crosby" from 1972.
= In 1972 he released his first solo album named "Garcia" later became known as "Compliments of Garcia". He released 3 more albums as a solo artist.
= Jerry also contributed to Art Garfunkel's album "Angel Clare" from 1973, showcasing his versatility beyond the "Dead's" sound.
= Garcia's collaboration with Merl Saunders started in 1973 and produced several albums, including "Live at Keystone" and "GarciaLive Volume Three".
= In 1974 "The Grateful Dead" temporarily disbanded due to exhaustion and financial troubles, but resumed touring the following year.
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= Jerry’s love for bluegrass led to collaborations with "Old & In the Way", a bluegrass supergroup featuring David Grisman, Peter Rowan, and Vassar Clements. They released their debut eponymous album in 1975.
= In 1975 he formed "The Jerry Garcia Band", which became his second-longest-running group after "The Grateful Dead".
= They released their debut album "Cats Under the Stars" in 1978, and since then 31 more albums, most of them Live ones.
= In 1977 "The Grateful Dead" released "Terrapin Station", which featured the epic title track that became one of the band's signature songs.
= The same year Jerry starred in "The Grateful Dead Movie", which he helped produce and edit.
= Jerry’s most notable film appearance outside "The Grateful Dead Movie" is in the documentary "Gimme Shelter", which covers " the Rolling Stones’" disastrous 1969" Altamont Speedway concert".
= Jerry and Bob Dylan performed together multiple times, and "the Grateful Dead" backed Dylan during his 1987 tour, resulting in the live album "Dylan & the Dead."
= in 1980 Garcia was named "Bay Area Musician of the Year" through a readers' poll in Bay Area Music magazine.
= In 1985, Jerry composed the eerie theme music for CBS's revival of "The Twilight Zone," performed by "the Grateful Dead".
= After recovering from a 5 days diabetic coma in 1986, Jerry received over 65,000 calls on "the Grateful Dead" hotline from concerned fans.
= In 1987 "Ben & Jerry’s" released "Cherry Garcia," the first ice cream flavor named after a musician.
= The same year Jerry recorded a radio commercial for Levi’s Jeans, helping out friends in need of work.
= In 1988 Jerry won awards for Musician of the Year and Best Guitarist at the Bay Area Music Awards.
= His collaboration with David Grisman resulted in the acclaimed Garcia/Grisman album from 1991, blending folk, bluegrass, and jazz. They continued to release "Not for Kids Only" in 1993.
= He was a passionate visual artist, holding his first art exhibit in 1991 at the Weir Gallery in Berkeley, California. Prices for his works ranged from $300 to $40,000.
= The same year he also published a book of his artwork, "The Book J. Garcia: Paintings, Drawings, and Sketches".
= In 1993 Jerry sang the national anthem at the San Francisco Giants' opening day.
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= Jerry’s love for scuba diving grew in his later years, providing a peaceful escape from his tumultuous lifestyle.
= He co-founded the "Rex Foundation", a non-profit organization supporting various social and environmental causes.
= Jerry passed away from a heart attack on August 9, 1995, at the age of 53, just days after his birthday.
= His ashes were divided and scattered in the Ganges River in India and beneath the Golden Gate Bridge, reflecting his spiritual and geographical connections.
= Jerry's last recording was a cover of Jimmie Rodgers' "Blue Yodel No. 9".
= Rolling Stone ranked Jerry #46 in its list of The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. Carlos Santana, who wrote Jerry’s entry, praised him for blending blues, bluegrass, and even elements of Ravi Shankar’s music.
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