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Jerry Garcia traditional and bluegrass groups 1961-1964
Jerry Garcia was a member of a number of traditional music and bluegrass groups in the first half of the 1960's. Some of these groups were given names. Usually though personnel varied and groups were simply temporary aggregations of musicians who wanted to play together. None of the groups existed for more than a couple of months.
Additions, corrections and comments are welcome
| May/June 1961 | Bob and Jerry | A folk duo formed by Robert Hunter and Jerry Garcia shortly after meeting in the Spring of 1961. They performed at most only a handful of times using this name. | ||
| July 1961 | Jerry Garcia, Marshall Leicester and Robert Hunter | A tape of a performance by this trio circulates. The performance was probably in July 1961 at the Carlos Bookstall in San Carlos. During the Summer of 1961 Garcia performed in a number of informal situations with Leciester, Hunter, David Nelson and others. | ||
| Jan 1962 | Unknown Bluegrass Band inc. Jerry Garcia | A tape of a performance by an unknown band that includes Jerry Garcia circulates. The performance (10 songs) is thought to be from January 1962 at a venue in Burlingame. | ||
| May/June 1962 | Sleepy Hollow Hog Stompers | A trio formed by Jerry Garcia, Marshall Leicester and Dick Arnold in May 1962. A tape of a performance by the group exists recorded at the Jewish Community Center in San Carlos on June 11, 1962. | ||
| Nov 1962 | Jerry Garcia / David Nelson | Jerry Garcia and David Nelson performed together informally throughout the early part of the 1960's. A tape of a performance by this duo exists recorded at the College of San Mateo on November 10, 1962. | ||
| Nov 1962 | Hart Valley Drifters | Jerry Garcia, Norman Van Maastricht, Robert
Hunter and David Nelson. A tape of a performance by this group, with the personnel listed above, exists recorded at the College of San Mateo on November 10, 1962. At other times Ken Frankel and Worth Handley were members of this group. | ||
| 1962/1963? | Badwater Valley Boys | Blair Jackson in his biography Garcia: An American Life lists this group name as one of a number that were used during this period. The group members are given as Jerry Garcia, Ken Frankel, Marshall Leicester and Robert Hunter. | ||
| 1962/1963? | Thunder Mountain Tub Thumpers | Blair Jackson in his biography Garcia: An American Life lists this group name as one of a number that were used during this period. The group members are given as Jerry Garcia, David Nelson, Robert Hunter, Joe Edminston and Jim Edminston. | ||
| Nov 1962-Feb 1963? | Wildwood Boys | This group probably existed, on and off, for over 6 months and provided a setting for Garcia to hone his banjo playing. Group members were Jerry Garcia, Norman Van Maastricht, Robert Hunter and David Nelson. A tape of a performance by this group, with the personnel listed above, exists recorded at the Tangent in Palo Alto on February 23, 1963. The group also performed at the Monterey Folk Festival in the Summer of 1963 with a line-up of Jerry Garcia, David Nelson, Robert Hunter and Ken Frankel | ||
| 1963 | Jerry & Sara | Garcia and Sara Ruppenthal met around the start of 1963 and performed as a duo on a number of occasions during the year. A tape of a performance by the duo exists recorded at the Tangent in Palo Alto on May 4, 1963. | ||
| Summer 1963 | Godawful Palo Alto Bluegrass Ensemble | A short lived group, probably a trio, that included Jerry Garcia, David Nelson and Pete Wernick. According to Wernick, Garcia played mandolin in this ensemble. | ||
| Late 1963 - Spring 1964 | Black Mountain Boys | Group members included Jerry Garcia, Robert Hunter, Eric Thompson, Sandy Rothman and David Nelson. Tapes exist of performances on consecutive nights, March 6 and 7, 1964 at an unknown venue. | ||
| 1964 | Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions |
For more information see the Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions page | ||
| Summer 1964 | Asphalt Mountain Jungle Boys | A trio formed by Jerry Garcia, Eric Thompson and Jody Stecher in Summer 1964. |
