Jerry Garcia

Jerry Garcia was an American musician best known as the lead guitarist and vocalist of the Grateful Dead, which he co-founded and performed with from 1965 until his death in 1995.

Jerry Garcia was an American musician best known as the lead guitarist and vocalist of the Grateful Dead, which he co-founded and performed with from 1965 until his death in 1995. He was also active in several side projects, including the Jerry Garcia Band, Old & In the Way, and duos with David Grisman and John Kahn. Garcia was a major figure in North American rock culture, and the Grateful Dead developed a substantial following in Canada among rock and counterculture audiences.

Early life

Jerry Garcia was born Jerome John Garcia in San Francisco in 1942. He developed an early interest in music and later became a guitarist and singer.

Grateful Dead

Garcia co-founded the Grateful Dead in 1965 and was its lead guitarist and vocalist. The band became a major act associated with the San Francisco psychedelic scene and 1960s counterculture. Garcia remained with the band for its entire 30-year career and was widely associated with the Deadhead fan community.

Side projects

Outside the Grateful Dead, Garcia recorded and performed with several other groups and collaborators. These included the Jerry Garcia Band, Old & In the Way, Legion of Mary, New Riders of the Purple Sage, and acoustic duos with David Grisman and John Kahn.

Legacy

Garcia became one of the most influential figures in American rock music. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the Grateful Dead in 1994. He died in 1995 at age 53 in Forest Knolls, California.