Historical Figure
Jerry Garcia
1942–1995
American guitarist and singer (1942–1995)
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"Interview with Howard Rheingold on Virtual Reality" — June 27, 1990
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Biography
Jerome John Garcia was an American musician who was the lead guitarist and a vocalist with the rock band Grateful Dead, which he co-founded and which came to prominence during the counterculture of the 1960s. Although he disavowed the role, Garcia was viewed by many as the leader of the band. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 as a member of the Grateful Dead.
Timeline
The story of Jerry Garcia, told in moments.
The Grateful Dead played 2,318 concerts over 30 years. Garcia was ranked 13th in Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitarists. Ben & Jerry's named a flavor after him: Cherry Garcia. It outsells every other flavor they make.
Loses two-thirds of his right middle finger when his brother accidentally chops it off with an axe while splitting wood. He's 4. It doesn't stop him from becoming one of the greatest guitarists of his generation. He picks up the guitar at 15 after his mother gives him an accordion for his birthday and he convinces her to exchange it.
Co-founds the Grateful Dead in Palo Alto. They become the house band for Ken Kesey's Acid Tests. The band plays for 30 years straight, never disbanding. Garcia hates being called the leader. "I don't want to be the leader. I'm just the guitar player." The Deadheads follow the tour anyway.
Falls into a diabetic coma for five days. Nearly dies. His doctors tell him he was days from death. He has to relearn the guitar. It takes months. The band goes back on tour. He doesn't stop smoking, doesn't lose weight, doesn't quit heroin.
Dies of a heart attack at Serenity Knolls drug rehabilitation center in Forest Knolls, California. He is 53. He'd struggled with diabetes, obesity, smoking, heroin, and cocaine for years. His ashes are scattered partly in the Ganges River in India and partly in San Francisco Bay.
In Their Own Words (1)
Artifacts (15)
Cuba and the war-revenue bill (IA cubawarrevenuebi02cumm)
Cummings, Amos Jay, 1841-1902. [from old catalog]
The theatrical 'World' of 1893-(97) (IA acl8086.0001.001.umich.edu)
Archer, William, 1856-1924
Southern campus (IA southerncampus1979univ)
University of California (1868-1952). Southern Branch University of California (1868-1952). Southern Branch. Associated Students Associated Students of UCLA
Petticoat perfidy; a comedietta in one act (IA cu31924013577543)
Young, Charles L. (Charles Lawrence), Sir, 1839-1887
Picturesque English cottages and their doorway gardens (IA cu31924015355013)
Ditchfield, P. H. (Peter Hampson), 1854-1930
NAVY MEDICINE Volume 99, No. 5 September-October 2008 (IA NavyMedicineVolume99No.5September-october2008)
U.S. Navy. Bureau of Medicine and Surgery
The extravaganzas of J. R. Planché, esq., (Somerset herald) 1825-1871 (IA extravaganzasofj01plan)
Planché, J. R. (James Robinson), 1796-1880 Croker, T. F. Dillon (Thomas Francis Dillon), 1831-1912 Tucker, Stephen, 1835-1887, joint. ed
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