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Throwback: A History Lesson With Jerry Garcia January 14, 2016 12:19

Today we look back on an in-depth interview with Grateful Dead guitarist/vocalist, Jerry Garcia.  This unedited interview with Garcia comes from the mini-series "The History of Rock and Roll."   Garcia shares memories from the earliest days of The Dead, including The Acid Tests, Ken Kesey, Neal Cassady, songwriting with Robert Hunter & David Grisman, and many entertaining stories from the Haight-Ashbury days.  Dick Latvala provides a brief tour of the Grateful Dead Vault as a special bonus at the end of the interview.

Garcia was an American musician best known for his lead guitar work, singing and songwriting with the Grateful Dead, which came to prominence during the counterculture era in the 1960s.  Though he disavowed the role, Garcia was viewed by many as the leader or "spokesman" of the group.  He was well known by many for his distinctive guitar playing and was ranked 13th in Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" cover story.  Garcia battled diabetes and struggled with addiction through the 80's and 90's, and ultimately died of a heart attack on August 9th, 1995 at age 53.

"The History of Rock and Roll" is a definitive 10-part documentary covers rock 'n' roll history from its humble beginnings in the '50s to Lollapalooza in the '90s. Fans can experience their favorite rock 'n' roll moments all over again through hundreds of exclusive interviews, classic footage, and unforgettable in-concert performances from rock 'n' roll's biggest stars. A must-own for any rock 'n' roll fan.

Watch the unedited, 53-minute interview with Jerry Garcia here: