Jerry Garcia was the much loved front man for The Grateful Dead. He was born in San Francisco, California in 1942. As a child Jerry lost his right middle finger and watched his father drown, within the same year. For his 15th birthday, Jerry received his first guitar. Despite the personal setbacks in his young life, Jerry grew to become one of rock’s most distinguished musicians and spiritual leader.

The Grateful Dead’s career spans almost 40 years, surpassing most other rock and roll bands. It all began in 1965 when Ken Kesey was looking for a band for his Acid Tests. Jerry and the band fit perfectly with the psychedelic sound that was needed for the acid trips. In 1965, Garcia tried LSD for the first time, while it was still legal. Jerry and the Dead were a major catalyst in the San Francisco hippie/rock scene of the 1960’s.

Drugs, free love, and music defined both the 60’s and the Grateful Dead. The band’s live performances go down in history for reaching the largest audiences of the most loyal fans Attending Dead concerts became a youth phenomenon, hence the term ‘Dead Heads’. Jerry’s drug use and rock and roll lifestyle caught up with him in the 1980’s. In fact, in 1986 Garcia fell into a diabetic coma and almost died.

Bouncing back was something Jerry was good at The Dead were still playing shows in the early 1990’s. Shortly after their induction into the rock and roll hall of fame, Jerry Garcia died on August 9th, 1995. Jerry was at a drug rehab center where he was trying to kick his long time heroin addiction. The official cause of death was heart failure. Jerry Garcia was 53. Although 53 is considered a young age to die, Jerry far surpassed many other rock and roll legends, such as Morrison, Lennon, Hendrix and Joplin.