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Jerry Garcia Biography

Guitarist / Rock Musician

Photos ( See all 9 )

Name at birth: Jerome John Garcia

Jerry Garcia was the guitarist and acknowledged leader of the rock band The Grateful Dead, whose legendary live shows carried the hippie movement from the '60s to the '90s, with a few breaks in between for rehabilitative drug treatments. An accomplished musician, Garcia also had a simultaneous solo career, straying from rock to dabble in folk and bluegrass music. He died in a drug treatment center in Marin County, California.

Garcia appears with fellow guitarist Django Reinhardt in our loop on Celebs Missing Fingers... He also co-stars with Ken Kesey in the loop Counterculture Heavyweights.

Blog posts mentioning Jerry Garcia:

Four Good Links

Jerry Garcia Interview 1972

Reprinted Rolling Stone interview

News Accounts First

Reprinted news stories about Garcia's death

The Annotated Grateful Dead Lyrics

Notes and comments on song meanings, plus band member discographies; dated but fascinating

Jerry Garcia

Official site for more on his music and art, with interviews, photos and merchandise

Vital Stats

Birth

1 August 1942

Birthplace

San Francisco, California

Death

9 August 1995
(heart failure, age 53)

Best Known As

Leader of The Grateful Dead