Written by Richie Oliver
As 2020 comes to a close, I’m reminded of Jerry Garcia; this year marks the 25th anniversary of his death. As the lead guitarist of the Grateful Dead, he took the guitar and transformed it into a paintbrush, traversing modes and scales to create brilliant melodies.
The Grateful Dead toured almost consistently for 30 years, from 1965 to 1995. To experience a live Dead show was, to most, a religious experience.
The Dead went into every show without a setlist. 30 years of shows, and each one was completely different; songs flowed endlessly from one to the next, weaving pathways through the music to deliver us to the end.
Because the band had so much repertoire, that meant that they had the freedom to improvise. No Grateful Dead song lasted less than four minutes live, and, in some cases, could last for more than 45 minutes; this long-form improvisation influenced so many other jam bands, including Phish, Dave Matthews Band, Umphrey’s McGee, and so many more.
I first listened to the Grateful Dead in the fall of 2010. On the way to a Tae Kwon Do class, my dad popped “American Beauty” into the CD player of his ugly Saturn Vue.
The first song on the album was “Box of Rain,” and I knew from that moment that this band would be one of the most influential bands in my life. Before the Dead, I didn’t appreciate music as I should, but once I heard Jerry Garcia’s voice on “Friend of the Devil” and “Ripple,” I knew that he was different.
“American Beauty” was just the start. I remember a road trip where my dad bought “Truckin’ Up to Buffalo,” a Dead show recorded on July fourth, 1989 in New York. The show started with “Bertha,” and after hearing the first solo, I learned what live music could be.
Whenever I was in the car with my dad, we played that show. I remember belting out “Cold, Rain, and Snow”, marveling how in that show, Garcia could not hit one wrong note.
He made me truly start to listen to music, and I guess you could call me a Deadhead now. No day is complete without listening to a song by the Grateful Dead.
I’m forever chasing the music, learning from the technique and style of Jerry Garcia. He inspired me to get into playing and writing music, and it’s taken me to some amazing places and I have met some amazing people.
Whenever I can, I look to him for guidance. This year, especially, Garcia’s words have been extremely helpful; “We will get by. We will survive.”
There’s no other celebrity that I would rather share my birthday with. Enjoy the stars, Jerry. You’re one of them now.
Comments