Jer -- r.i.p. -- 14 years ago today

[420Sugaree]

"we just want a simple life, and a good life
and we want to move the planet ahead a step"



Jer's MySpace page



Jer singin' pretty on this Sugaree

I'll never forget the moment I heard about Jer's passing. And to the contrary, Jer is still "killing me." Here's the final paragraph of "Jerry Garcia, R.I.P." This was published in the National Review in the September 25, 1995 issue. It was written by William F. Buckley Jr. - conservative author and commentator.

Jerry Garcia died only a week after leaving the Betty Ford Center. He is quoted as having said two years ago that, really, he needed to do something to restore his health, otherwise he would be dead, like "two years from now." He went on schedule, and is said to have died with a smile on his face, no doubt because he was a happy man but also because he made so many others happy. But he also killed, if that's the right word for such as our intern, a lot of people. And although he had a pulsating forum world wide for thirty years and knew from his own experience what his habits were doing to him, he never went public on it, not really. One has to suppose, sadly, that in his case, going public on his problem, extending a truly firm handshake to his legions, would have required the dramatic gesture of retiring from the stage. If he had done so, it would not have been wounding to those of us who were never exposed to Jerry Garcia's special intoxicant, but, if he had done so, how many would have had better prospects for health, love, and longer lives?

I seriously got into listening to Dead tapes in fall of '72. I saw the Grateful Dead about 25 times in 1973. I became a Taper myself. June 9, 1973 was my first time taping the boys. The next day was my 2nd time. June 10, 1973 was a modal spectacle. This show was a marathon 8 hours long, including a 3rd set jam w/ Merl Saunders, Dickey Betts, and Butch Trucks. I guess you could say I've been totally Dead since this weekend.

Dead is still good.
Buckley died in Feb 2008.
I've outlived Jer's age by 5 years and counting.

Thanks for everything, Jer.

[Cindy Lou]

I still miss you Jerry.  Thank you for being a big part of my life, and for letting me dance, dance, dance.     Damn I wish you were still here, but in a way, you always will be here, in my heart. 

[cletusaz]

I was sitting in the greyhound station in Deep Ellum Dallas after just discovering that my guitar was stolen from the bus.  I called home to vent a bit about my loss and was told Jerry Garcia had died. Needless to say, I've had my share of Deep Ellum BLUES!!!!
 

[420Sugaree]

My personal situation was also very bleak when I heard the news. My happy-go-lucky life has been a roller coaster. But we can still thank Jer for inspiring me to tape his music. For years - until just recently, I always thought the song's title was, "Deep Allen Blues." My bad. Isn't it Deep Elem? Within a year of my first time taping in 1973, I was taping the best bluegrass and newgrass players at concerts and at festivals. Here's what could be the only taped live performances of the lengendary Hillbilly Jazz band put together by Vassar Clements. A dual-LP of HIllbilly Jazz came out in 1975. The band also featured the fantastic playing by Doug Jernigan on pedal steel. I nailed them "front-of-board" dead-center 2 nights in a row on a weekend in Nashville at the Exit / In, April 1975. Doug launches some effects for this one. Phase shifter?

Deep Elem Blues — performed on Sat night, April 5, 1975

[cletusaz]

The song is indeed deep "elem", but i'm 99.9% sure it was written about Deep "Ellum" which was a very seedy neighborhood in Dallas centered around elm street.  It was kind of a warehouse district full of xxx bookstores, working girls, homeless, and a greyhound station.  Definitely the kind of place you might put your money in your shoes lol.  

thanks for the sweet recording!!!!

[dayton]

rip jerry
im a day late but.......
saw new riders of the purple sage on your day and it sold out in asheville. such a great show   buddy cage is awesome     it was like ya were there old man
 

http://www.archive.org/details/gd73-02-15.sbd.hall.1580.sbeok.shnf
awesome sbd 73
sweet second set with a nice sugaree

 Listening to: Grateful Dead - Dane County Coliseum February 15, 1973