3 Moments That Prove Jerry Garcia Was a Guitar God

The Grateful Dead produced virtually endless good music in their heyday, and much of that music’s quality can be attributed to Jerry Garcia’s super-underrated guitar skills. He’s rarely ever brought up in conversations of rock guitar greats. And I think he was a guitarist worthy of more praise. Let’s look at a few guitar moments from Jerry Garcia through the years that prove he really knew what he was doing with the instrument.

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Cornell University, 1977

“Brown-Eyed Woman” was first performed back in 1971. However, this performance of the song, live at Barton Hall at Cornell University in 1977, has to be one of Garcia’s finest sets. This one’s technically a Garcia-Hunter song. But it proves that Jerry Garcia was a master guitarist at any one point, with any one band. 

Live from Ithaca, New York, this concert was really something to behold. Each and every section of this song is delivered with impeccable skill and precision. Garcia does it all without losing the emotional element of his guitar-playing.

Winterland, 1974

Fans of Anthem Of The Sun from 1968 likely remember this particular concert well. Considering how many Dead Heads followed the band around across the country, you might have actually been there yourself if you’re a diehard fan. 

This Grateful Dead concert took place at Winterland in 1974. The band burst into a stunning rendition of “The Other One”, the classic opener from that above-mentioned album. Jerry Garcia’s performance of the song is incredible, but the performance is really the sum of its parts. Phil Lesh was on another level here, too.

Fillmore West, 1969

“Dark Star” is a fan favorite for a reason. And part of the appeal of Grateful Dead was that no two renditions of a particular song ever sounded the same live. This performance of “Dark Star” took place at Fillmore West in San Francisco in 1969. It is one of the most beloved versions of the 1968 song. 

Jerry Garcia absolutely shreds his way through the tune, and his crazy-good solos blew the eyebrows off of everyone in attendance. The original recorded track is only about three minutes long, but the band managed to stretch this composition into a 20-minute performance. That takes some serious talent. Thankfully, the performance was preserved on a live album that year.

Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images