Ode to Jerry Garcia
Is it me or has a musician made an impact on so many just by being real? It was Jerry. Garcias birthday on August 1,1942 and the day he went to heaven. August 9, 1995.
When I remembered, it made me smile. I. Had put a picture of Jerry Garcia on the door of my bakery in Greece, Cindy ‘s baking cakes! As his passing was relevant to me and as I sold American sweets, a few people knew.It was part of the soundtrack of my life!
As a sophomore in WPI back in the 1980’s I got involved with an older man. I was 18 he was 28. To be truthful, Jim’s wife Ellen was having an affair with one of our friends. Billy. As it made the social circle uncomfortable. He found my love for music impressive. I listened to rock not the pop that many people my age did. Deeply into rock and alternative styles like punk, ska. And reggae! Many girls at engineering school were a far cry from hip and happening!
So I was given cassettes from Grateful Dead concerts.Bootleg tapes of their music as well as some other bands. These gifts of music were very special to me.
Very personal with the best being a ticket to bus and the Grateful Dead concert at the Boston Garden! It was full of mostly frat. Boys from the stoner house. Σπ! Rest of the group were deadheads so much partying on the road to Boston!One of the most memorable concerts ever!
The music never stops!https://youtu.be/X4WvB9DTutc?si=HJ3cK2B6VbCK904f
Every one was dancing! This is one of the songs that plays in my head. I often now listen to the Grateful Dead channel on Sirius, happy music in my head!
After college I lived in Worcester and. At that time the centrum was one of the newest venues! Besides the dead I saw like Journey and U2 and a bunch more!
Of course the best was the two times i saw. “The Dead “. The first time with my neighbors Mark,Ed and Mike we walked around had some beverages as we lived less than a mile away! We danced until the end !
The second time with the same friends we were sober and focused on watching the concert goers! So entertaining!
Then there were Engineering friends who were artsy like me. Lisa Katz, Eric Cunningham and the “Weir house” where some musicians lived. Trying to remember the name of the band… but it alludes me now.
The house looked like Hotel California and many happy times were made. Like the time we had Thanksgiving at Lou’s house with homegrown in everything. To this day I’m still in touch with Eric and was in a business with Lisa.
The alternative music and life was counterpoint to the other connections in my life: frat boy/ football hero. People in my life helped create with music a place to go in my mind. To heal as well as hide from my pain and depression.
Now I smile when I hear the songs, smile at Ben and Jerry’s “Cherry Garcia” and each early August I listen to some tunes and want you to know that Jerry Garcia your dream lives on!