Remembering Jerry

Uh excuse me , wasn't Jerry found dead in a rehab? Kinda like the guy who said : "Quitting smoking is easy. I've done it thousands of times."

Hey Fat Parrot. Smoking The Persian (Heroin) was Jerry's passion. He's in the big H now, a place I feel he gave me glimpses of on more than a few occasions. It's been a long strange trip from the first be-in's and Acid Tests. Kesey, Neal, Pigpen and Jerry. I think I'll listen to 4/26/71 and wish I was there. I'll offer up a sweet Garcia/ Grisman Quintet 5/7-11/91 Warfield disc in Jerry's memory. Thanks for the reminder FP.

I'll not defend Jerry's drug habits. Other band members tried and failed to get Jerry right. It took Phil a liver transplant to chill out. Jerry's genius was in the feeling he put into his music. When I listen to Wharf Rat (Jerry's stated that this was the saddest song for him to sing) , the feeling projected is so deep it makes me wanna cry. He wasn't the best singer, but his voice was beautiful and instantly recognizable. He was clearly the leader and took on more diverse side projects than the rest of the band in spite of the demons that killed him. He was of the 60's and remained true to that spirit. It was an end that suited him. That we had him as long as we did (Pigpen was gone at 27) is amazing and something to be Grateful for forever.

Hey Tom: Too bad Hendrix, Morrison and Elvis didn't have a clothing line. I'm sure they would've all hung in there longer like Jerry had they known about your wife's clothing purchases and the windfall that would've entailed. BTW I think Jerry's artwork sucked and never would've seen the light of day had he not been a rock star. Addiction is a sickness not a choice, so your epitaph for Jerry seems a bit callous. To each his own.