MeandJerryGarcia

Ihaven’talwaysbeenabigfanofJerryGarciaandIneverquiteunderstoodwhatallthe“DeadHeads”weresoenthralledabout.Thatchangedduringthemid90swhenIdiscoveredthe“NotForKidsOnly”cassettesbyJerryGarciaandDavidGrisman.Intheearly90s,IwaswritingandperformingChildren’sMusic.Raffiwasmyidolandentertainingyoung

kidsandtheirfamilieswasmypassion.WhenIfirstdiscoveredthe“NotForKidsOnly”itwasloveatfirstlisten;thecombinationofJerryandDavid’ssongchoices,alongwiththeduetofacousticguitarandmandolingotme!Fromthere,IbeganexploringmoreofDavidGrisman’smandolinmusicandtechnique,aswellasJerryGarcia’smusic;includingtheGratefulDead.Ihavemuchrespectandadmirationforbothmusicians.Recently,Ilistenedtosomepodcasts,readsomearticles,andwatchedvideosofJerryGarcia.IfoundthatheandIhavemoreincommonthanIrealized.HerearesomeofJerry’squotes...MUSICTAKESYOUPLACES…“PlayingguitarturnedouttobemorefunthanIthoughtitwasgoingtobe.It’salsolastedalotlongerthanexpectedandit’stakenmetoplacesthatIneverthoughtI’dgetachancetogo.”HUMBLEBEGINNINGS…“TheGratefulDeadwasstartedassimplyabunchoffriendsmakingmusictogetherandhavingfun.”JAZZMUSICIANBRANFORDMARSALISSAYSOFJERRY…“Heexperimentedwithoutbeingtoooverlytechnical.Jerrywasamarvelouslygiftedmelodymaker.Hissoloswereverymusical.Itwasfuntoplayandlistentohim!Jerryneverlettechniquegetinhisway.

JustlikeJerry,expressyourmusicalideasasawholebodyexperience;notjustfromyourbrain.”KEEPTHINGSOPENENDED…“Onceyouhaveyouractdown,stickwithit,becausethat’sthereasonthatyourfansbecameyourfans.That’swhytheycometoseeyou.However,continuetopushtheboundaries.Keepthingsopenended.Youneverwanttoseetheendinsight.”MUSICASMEDITATION…“It’sagoodthingtohavesomethingpersonaltoworkondailythatyoucanimproveupon.It’syourownenergyandworkthatpushesyouforward.”BEPATIENTWITHYOURMUSICALIDEAS…“Sometimeswemaymakethewrongdecisionaboutasong,butstickwithit.It’sokaytochangethingsaround.Manytimesthechangesandtweakscanbeforthebetter.”ALWAYSAPPRECIATEYOURFANS…“OurGratefulDeadshowsareneverthesame.Whenwefinishashowwearedonewithit,butwhenourfanstapetheshows,theygainownershipofthatmomentintime.It’samemoryforthem!Theyaretheonesthatkeepusgoing.Wedon’texistwithoutourfans.”ALWAYSBEASTUDENT…“Whatturnsmeonisbeingamusicstudentandalwayspushingforwardanddeveloping.”IloveallofJerry’sphilosophies,butalwaysbeingastudentistheonethatIlovethemost.Therearenolimits!Also,thebeautyisthatmusiciansaremusicians.Therereallyisnohierarchywhenonemusician(nomatterwhatageorhowfamous)isplayingwithanother.WhenIhearJerryspeak,Idon’theartheicon,thelegend,orthefamousone.Isimplyhearamanwholovesmusicandwholovesbeingamusician!…JimmyRossi