Remembering Jerry Garcia: JGB At Sea In 1976

Today marks the anniversary of the death of legendary guitarist Jerry Garcia. The co-founding member of the Grateful Dead and leader of his namesake band left a legacy of musicianship and songwriting that continues to ripple with influence and inspiration across generations of fans and admirers.

Garcia’s tragic demise at the age of just 52 was devastating to his friends, family, band mates and Deadheads around the world. A true icon of the 1960s psychedelic counterculture, Jerry spent subsequent decades vigorously touring and performing before crowds of adoring Deadheads whose minds were consistently collectively blown by Garcia and his fellow talented band mates.

While perhaps the most significant, Jerry’s contributions to the Dead were just one aspect of his colorful career. Both before and during his tenure with the Grateful Dead, Garcia was involved in a variety of projects like The Black Mountain Boys, Mother McCree’s Uptown Jug Champions, Old & In The Way and New Riders of the Purple Sage. Central to Jerry’s side projects was the ever-evolving Jerry Garcia Band that saw a number of skilled musicians performing alongside Jerry over the years.

With August 9th falling on Friday this year, it seems fitting to devote this week’s edition of Full Show Friday to Jerry. Below is footage of the Jerry Garcia Band playing at a Hells Angels party thrown aboard the SS Duchess as it cruised New York City Harbor on September 15, 1976 (one of the bikers grabs a microphone and gives the band advice around the 14:45 mark).

The JGB at sea lineup that night featured Garcia’s Dead band mates, Donna Jean Godchaux on vocals and Keith Godchaux on keyboards, Jerry’s longtime collaborator John Kahn on bass and acclaimed drummer Ron Tutt. The setlist featured “Catfish John,” Eric Clapton’s “After Midnight,” Bob Marley’s “Stir It Up” and “Stop That Train,” as well “Tore Up Over You,” “They Love Each Other” and “Mighty High.”

According to Garcia’s website, the below video posted by the Music Vault is missing some songs that were played that night and some of the songs were only partially captured on video, but the bulk of the memorable performance can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYZ2hOWWyv8

Video Setlist/Timings

• 0:00:00 – Catfish John
• 0:13:17 – Stage Noise
• 0:15:22 – After Midnight (Incomplete)
• 0:27:17 – Stage Noise
• 0:28:53 – Stir It Up
• 0:38:44 – Stage Noise
• 0:40:46 – Tore Up Over You (Incomplete)
• 0:43:37 – They Love Each Other
• 0:50:29 – Stage Noise (Incomplete)
• 0:52:54 – Stop That Train (Incomplete)
• 1:02:57 – crowd noise
• 1:03:53 – Mighty High (Incomplete)