Mighty High: Getting Spiritual With Jerry Garcia Spotify Playlist

Dating back to the earliest known recordings of Jerry Garcia, the late musician incorporated traditional religious songs into his live repertoire. Early examples include “Oh, Mary Don’t You Weep” from a performance with Robert Hunter on May 26, 1961 at Brigid Meier’s 16th birthday party and the 1962 Hart Valley Drifters studio session that was issued that included Garcia, Hunter, David Nelson, Ken Frankel and Norm Van Maastricht performing “Standing In The Need Of Prayer.” Those tracks are among several others featured in a Spotify Playlist highlighting Jerry’s spiritual side.

Inspired by and expanding on an official Jerry playlist, the set blends the traditional with the non-traditional songs that the talented guitarist performed. The playlist showcases Garcia’s many solo projects, as well as two live tracks by the Grateful Dead – “And We Bid You Goodnight” and “Cold Jordan.” Longtime Garcia cohort David Grisman is featured adding mandolin alongside guitarist Tony Rice on cuts from The Pizza Tapes, with the trio working up “Drifting Too Far From The Shore,” “Amazing Grace” and Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ Heaven’s Door.” Grisman also appears with Garcia on selections by the bluegrass supergroup Old & In The Way.

“Palm Sunday” and “Magnificent Sanctuary Band” were chosen from the expanded edition of Garcia’s solo album Cats Under The Stars. Also selected was a Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band rendition of “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.” Various lineups of the Jerry Garcia Band from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s can be heard performing such heavenly tunes as “Mighty High,” “My Sisters And Brothers,” “Gomorrah,” “Bright Morning Stars” and others. Stream the playlist below:

[Originally published April 15, 2017.]