Features

Reflections: Jerry Garcia’s Life and Legacy (Jimmy Herring, Henry Rollins, Aaron Maxwell, Papa Mali)

Over the next 9 days between the anniversary of Jerry’s birth on August 1, 1942 through his untimely death on August 9, 1995, we’re going to run a series of artists’ commentaries on the life and legacy of Jerry Garcia. Here is our second installment. Click here to read reminiscences by members of Umphrey’s McGee, The Decemberists, The Meters, Megafaun and Strangefolk.

JIMMY HERRING (WIDESPREAD PANIC, AQUARIUM RESCUE UNIT)

Jerry Garcia’s music brought joy to millions of people… There is a fragile, timeless quality to his voice that separates him from all other singers. And his guitar playing is definitely an extension of that… He was very brave, in that he was absolutely fearless in his musical exploration in to the unknown.

He has left us with a vast catalog of some of the most beautiful ballads ever recorded… if I had to choose the thing I love most about him, it would be the ballads…

I am deeply honored to have been lucky enough to play his music with some of his band mates. This music had made a profound impact on me and I will continue listening to, and playing it for the rest of my life. His influence is far reaching and I’m sure he will be discovered and rediscovered for generations to come.

HENRY ROLLINS

I always thought Jerry Garcia was a musician whose talent was under mentioned. Having been lucky enough to have seen him perform a few times, I always walked away thinking he was a complete player, a musician’s musician. He had the whole thing: voice, chops, great looking axe. He had a perfect instinct, amazing skill and something that only the truly great guitarists ever achieve—Jerry Garcia had tone. Damn, what a sound he had. There is nothing like it anywhere. That for me, was the best part of his immense talent; the warm, intimate glow that surrounded the notes he played and the way they hung in the air. Sometimes you would almost forget to breathe, you were listening so intently.

AARON MAXWELL (GOD STREET WINE)

He was one of the reasons I got into playing guitar. One memory stands out for some reason. I was in San Francisco in the late 80s and I saw him play at this place called The Stone in San Francisco, which was a little club. It was a very intimate setting and I had only ever seen the Grateful Dead in Madison Square Garden or big places and to see him in that small place, and then afterwards, I saw him outside the club just like standing there and it was one of those experiences in my life where this larger than life figure was real to me. It was inspiring in that moment. So much of his music just came from a real soulful, truthful place and I really appreciate that whenever I think about him or if I’m trying to think about my inspiration, that’s where I want it to come from, a truthful place. I can look to him for that.