Garcia : An American Life [Hardcover]

Blair Jackson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 1999

A psychedelic journey through the life of one of the most fascinating figures in American popular culture.

He was there when Dylan went electric, when a generation danced naked at Woodstock, and when Ken Kesey decided to start playing with acid. He was one of the most gifted musicians of all time. Folk, blues, ragtime, rock 'n' roll, jazz, calypso, R&B, modern classical--there was no musical genre that Jerry Garcia couldn't master. He was unique; he was a member of one of the most worshiped rock 'n' roll bands in history. But much of Garcia's talent and intelligence has been obscured by the larger than life image of the Grateful Dead. Now, renowned journalist Blair Jackson strips away the myth in a portrait of the real Jerry Garcia--the musical genius, the brilliant songwriter, and ultimately, the tortured soul plagued by his own addiction.

Garcia: An American Life is the ultimate look at "a wounded warrior." Jackson, who covered the Grateful Dead for twenty-five years, has gained unique access to Garcia's family and intimate friends--from his first wife Sara to band members and band associates. In a book to be published on the fourth anniversary of Garcia's death, Jackson explores his life with sensitivity and insight. This is the ultimate tribute to the man who, Bob Dylan said, "had no equal."

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Anyone who ever attended a Grateful Dead show knows all too well how many "fans" virtually ignored the music in their pursuit of fun. What's worse, scores of closed-minded music critics dismissed the music out of hand simply because of the antics of these so-called fans. Author Blair Jackson sets out on a commendable mission to bring Jerry Garcia the musician into clear focus. Tapping his experience as both a devout Deadhead and a veteran journalist, Jackson's mission is a roaring success. He painstakingly details every musical turn that the Dead took and discusses every side project Garcia embarked on--from the endless stream of bluegrass, old-time, and jug bands of the early 1960s through collaborations both famous and obscure. (Even dedicated fans may not know of Garcia's futile attempt at joining Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys.) Garcia emerges as a talented, versatile, and obsessive musician with a voracious appetite for all forms of music--as long as it came from the heart.

In the process of documenting his musical career, Jackson also presents a picture of Garcia's fascinating offstage life, including the events and inspiration that translated into songs and solos. The author conducted scores of interviews with Garcia himself and with anyone else who could provide insight into Garcia's personality. While never glossing over the unseemly aspects of Garcia's life, Jackson doesn't dwell on them either. In fact, he openly offers connections between Garcia's drug use and his music when they prove appropriate. Neophytes may be turned off by the constant detailed references to specific songs and shows--even particular sound effects--but for the avid follower, Jackson's comprehensive book is a wonderful celebration of an underrated and misunderstood musician. --Marc Greilsamer

From Publishers Weekly

As the front man for the Grateful Dead, the band that epitomized the '60s hippie counterculture, Jerry Garcia's place in music history is assured. Yet, Jackson asserts in this detailed biography, Garcia's genius as a guitarist and songwriter has often been overlooked. Garcia began as a folk and bluegrass banjo player in such bands as the Sleepy Hollow Hog Stompers and the Thunder Mountain Tub Thumpers before embracing electric blues and rock and roll with the Warlocks, an early incarnation of the Dead. In the mid-'60s, the Dead became the house band for Ken Kesey's now legendary drug and music free-for-alls. During concerts the band could, in Garcia's words, "visit highly experimental places under the influence of highly experimental chemicals before a highly experimental audience." In the Dead's 30-year run barnstorming the nation as one of the country's most popular touring acts, Garcia always sought to expand his musical horizons, engaging in side projects from playing pedal steel guitar in New Riders of the Purple Sage to launching a low-profile solo career with the Jerry Garcia Band. Dogged by cocaine and then heroin addiction (brought on at least in part, according to Jackson, by the pressures of celebrity and of dealing with the unwieldy bureaucracy of the Grateful Dead's profitable business ventures), Garcia died of a heart attack in 1995 at the age of 53. Jackson, former editor of the Dead zine The Golden Road, narrates this exhaustive biography with the unabashed ardor of a hard-core Deadhead, but even those readers who have kept a distance from the band's recordings and epic concerts will appreciate the generation-defining artistic and personal history of this musical giant. (Aug.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 640 pages
• Publisher: Viking Adult (August 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0670886602
• ISBN-13: 978-0670886609
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #676,866 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars If my words could glow....., January 21, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Garcia : An American Life (Paperback)

It turns out that writing books about The Grateful Dead is a lot like writing books about the Beatles; highly speculative, frequently pointless and ultimately frustrating, unless you're somebody like Ken Kesey or Ed McClanahan, writers who were there with the Dead from the start and speak the language. That said, Blair Jackson gets as close as anyone totally caught in the Dead's warp can to writing a definitive book on Garcia. Jackson's Deadhead banter sometimes gets in the way of, you know, communicating about why the rest of us should consider Jerry Garcia one of the greats. Mind you, I think he is, but the proof is ultimately in listening to one of the Dead's many live albums (and some of the studio ones as well) or Garcia's other records and HEARING why, not reading much of what's here. What IS worth the time is the extensive discography Jackson has at the end, which is a reliable signpost for what a non-Deadhead fan or a Dead newbie might find worth the time and money.

In sum, a good book for Deadheads or Dead admirers, not so great if you don't know what the fuss is/was about...but want to.

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Waiting for magic to happen, June 6, 2002

By 

William Wood (Sydney, New South Wales Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Garcia : An American Life (Hardcover)

Blair Jackson had the opportunity to write the definitive biography of Jerry Garcia but faltered when Garcia's history (and his bandmates)became difficult.Jackson aims for the old Garcia as Buddha schtick without ever coming to grips with the contradictions and complexities of this mans life.
How is it that Jackson can provide us with intimate details of Garcias childhood but then skims over the years from 1974 to 1976 a period of intense creativity for Garcia. It is at this point in the book that Jackson changes direction and his book becomes an "authourised biography" and Garcia deserves better than that.

Rock Scully in his book "Living with the Dead" captures the mood of the Grateful Dead and indeed the spirit of the Grateful Dead with clarity and ease, Jackson could have learned a thing or two from that book .Instead he takes Scully to task as to the accuracy of his book( although he fails to mention why he never cleared those issues up on the two occasions he interviewed Scully for this book).

The second half of this book tells us more in its ommissions than its content,and again Scully and other writers were not afraid to suffer the wrath of the various personalities involved.I was not expecting an extended gossip column but I actually expected Jackson to clarify issues not ignore them.

Garcia was of course a complex individual and my main complaint with this book is its one dimensional portrayal of the man,his music ( often discussed here in terms of record sales and concert attendances) and his life.

In all a good book but it should have been a great one.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Truly An American Life, December 9, 2002

By 

crescent (New Orleans, LA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Garcia : An American Life (Paperback)

Blair Jackson's biography of Jerry Garcia is fascinating. "An American Life" is a particularly appropriate title because of the breadth of Jerry's musical influences. The chapters dealing with Jerry's early days as a bluegrass banjoist were especially interesting. Jerry clearly embraced the entire gamut of American music, including mountain music, folk, jazz, blues and gospel. Mix all of these ingredients with a healthy batch of rock and roll and you have the Grateful Dead.

Jackson writes rhapsodically of the Dead's role in the psychedelic period of the 60's, and brilliantly brings that era back to life. The exploits of Neal Cassady, Ken Kesey, and the Merry Pranksters and their relationship with Jerry is a highlight of the book. The tales of Jerry's drug use are harrowing. His life took a downward spiral when cocaine and heroin replaced marijuana and LSD as his drugs of choice. Nevertheless, his passion for music and performing was undiminished. Jerry's all encompassing heart, soul, and spirit animated his music and transcended his physical being.

The book also includes a very informative "complete" discography along with the author's rating of each recording and very brief analyses of the music. The discography includes the Dead, JGB, solo projects, and highlights from Jerry's guest appearances on albums released by other artists.

Blair Jackson's writing style is highly readable and fully capable of projecting the reader into each scene from Jerry's life that he so vividly describes.

Highly recommended for anyone who loves Jerry Garcia and his music.