Jerry Garcia: Yes, We Hear Your Voice Come Through the Music

Jerry would have celebrated a birthday this week and would have turned 70 years old.

He was born on August 1, 1942 in San Francisco and passed away at age 53 on August 9, 1995.

He was in a rehab facility when he died of a heart attack.

Founding Dead member and drummer Bill Kreutzmann said Tuesday, "I wish he was here to celebrate with us is, of course, my first thought."

He added, "I don't think he ever really gets enough credit for his abilities as a musician and an artist...so to celebrate that for his birthday is really special."

Kreutzmann also said he’d like people to remember Jerry “for being a really good human being.”

To illustrate Jerry's good nature,  he tells of when the band members and business partners would be at each others’ throats during the weekly meetings The Dead held, and Garcia “would be the grounding force [who would] bring it back to…the place of good understanding and fairness to both sides.”

Tomorrow (August 3), founding Grateful Dead singer/guitarist Bob Weir will host a special concert webcast titled “Move Me Brightly” at his TRI Studios in San Rafael, California, that will be streamed live at 6:30 p.m. PT.

Also, Kreutzmann’s current group, 7 Walkers, will remember Jerry with a performance Friday at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

"If my words did glow with the gold of sunshine
And my tunes were played on the harp unstrung
Would you hear my voice come through the music
Would you hold it near as it were your own?"

-Ripple