Garcia : An American Life Paperback – August 1, 2000

I don’t know why I did not read this through when it first was published. It is the best book about a member of the American band the Grateful Dead of any published to date. Sure, it gives solid information on the family background and his early life which is usually has an impact on the kind of person we become.. It also gives a glimpse at why Jerry Garcia became such a prolific and talented songwriter and skilled player. Not surprisingly, it was all he really wanted to do. He practiced playing all day every day to hone the kind of skills necessary to play an instrument at that level,We also see the impact of the 1960’s psychedelic drug culture and why it impacted his music both positively and negatively. The positive came from its helping to shape his desire to explore and improvise musically. The darker, or negative side of all this was a not surprising inability to sustain relationships with women. That took form in two ways. First, when your love is music, to the extent Garcia did, everything else comes second which is difficult for a partner to accept long term. The other long term effect caused by the use of drugs (not just psychedelics) that are prevalent with touring musicians had a deleterious impact on his health. We see , how the pressures of being the so-called leader of the band helped lead him down that path. Garcia is hardly the only musician of notoriety to suffer this fate, yet despite it all, he remains one of the most important musicians of his generation.A good read, not just for Deadheads and fans, but for anyone interested in how a person’s life is impacted so much by external events.

After reading all of the other bio’s from fellow Grateful Dead members and road crew (which were interesting and entertaining from each author’s personal view), I decided to read this extremely thorough biography written from start to finish about Garcia’s entire life. What I found particularly wonderful about this book was the many quotes and interviews from Jerry himself and from so many of the people who entered his life in one way or another. The many women and wives included. As well, I was touched by so much information about Robert Hunter and the relationship that he and Jerry developed and maintained over the years so that all that amazing music was created. The many, many lyrics included and woven into the story through Hunter, Garcia and the band was well appreciated by this Hunter-Garcia fan. It was an amazing read for me and the most thorough yet. Well worth your time if you are a Jerry Garcia fan.

When it all came down to it, it always started and ended with Jerry. Been listete him most of my life without knowing much about him. He was always an enigma (kind of where I wanted him). That being said, it was good to delve deeply into his realm. The book is well written and honest. Thanks

Blair Jackson is a great chronicler of events. My favorite parts were the personal recollections of the people who were there, especially those who were there from beginning to end. Mr. Jackson's personal recollections were also fun to read about. He has a knack for imagery of lyrics and music. I also enjoyed the detailed stories about certain concerts and production of albums. I was present at many of the concerts mentioned in this book from '69 through the last show at Shoreline, and must have run into Mr. Jackson at one of the Bay Area shows and not known it. My experience was a little different from Blair's in that I did not experience the magic after 1977 or '78. I still went to shows, but it was for the ritual and to see old friends more than it was to hear the music. Stadium shows don't do it for me, and when they went from ensemble music with a grand piano to synths they kind of lost me. I also think Garcia's tone took a hit when he went from Fender strats and Twin Reverbs to Doug Irwin guitars and rack gear/synths, although the Travis Bean tone was absolutely killer. I appreciated the experimentation but the reliance on effects other than reverb, envelope filter, and some overdrive is not my cup of tea. I don't want a guitar to sound like a flute.I enjoyed this book a lot but after I finished it I felt the same way about the other members of the Dead family as I did when Garcia died. It's really tragic that people who were supposed to have loved him could not get through to him, not just about drugs but about smoking, diet, etc. It makes me think that they may not have tried hard enough. They should have stopped touring. Plain and simple. Plus, it amazes me that given his history of diabetes his doctors didn't check his heart, at least there's no indication that they did. That should have been a major concern given his diabetes, especially during withdrawal from drugs. He should have not been admitted to rehab without a complete cardiac workup. It's just tragic.I'd love to read a follow up by Blair Jackson. It's been 17 years and a lot has happened in the Dead/jam band scene.