Jerry’s Bluegrass museum

For old times sake - Emily

https://vivalazone.org/other-stuff/david-nelson-kentucky

I think I'm going.

Not too far away. I'll go when it's not as busy. Should be sweet!

anyone going to the shows?

i mail ordered the special ed. bluegrass mag. pretty sweet. warm up nelson for us.

I have 2 good tickets (third row center) but will not be able to go. 
Anyone nearby and interested? Make me an offer...

oooo! 

i think this is way more interesting than going to the sphere or whatever.

somebody should snag those!

That's a solid offer rt

Here I sit at the Hampton Inn in Owensboro, KY, preparing for the Bluegrass Hall of Fame dedication of an entire new Jerry Garcia Wing of the Bluegrass Museum starting Tomorrow! There will be 3 days of Press Conferences, Film screenings, Concerts by David Nelson, Sam Grisman Project, Peter Rowan, Leftover Salmon and other luminaries. I hope to be able to Interview many of these people over the course of this 3 day Event. The Event Publicist hooked me up with 2 weekend Media Access Passes, for myself and my HGRNJ Audio Engineer Joe Rizzo, paving the way for some memorable Radio material that will Air on HGRNJ.org and very likely to be a Podcast on www.morningdewcrew.com website...

I'm tired from driving all day, but quite amped and excited to be a part of this Historic series of Events!!!

Yee Ha Factor #9!!!

https://relix.com/articles/detail/deadicated-jerry-garcia-a-bluegrass-journey/?utm_source=Relix+Daily&utm_campaign=f769e30fdc-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_03_25_05_12&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-f769e30fdc-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D&mc_cid=f769e30fdc&mc_eid=81cf10033b

...

^That flag has a story that needs telling.

This is the United States flag that has been in our family for at least 50 years. It hung on the wall in the iconic 1964 pictures that Herbie Greene took of Jerry and his banjo. Our mom said that Jer had it when they moved in together back then, but doesn't know where he originally got it. This flag has seen a few amazing things. It hasn't felt the light of day in many years and it was calling out to be waved and remembered. The shared history of this flag and our family could not have happened in any other country. Thanks to Stephanie Schaibley for getting the killer shot and huge thanks to Stacy & Tanner who lent us some of their wall and time . - Annabelle Garcia

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQvhPMdBhJa/?taken-by=jerrygarcia

a little birdie just sent a snippet of david rehearsing w/ players, vince, lauderdale and such.

From FB - don't know how to embed the video here

>>>the iconic 1964 pictures that Herbie Greene took of Jerry and his banjo<<<

Greene took that photo in '67. Annabelle should do her homework.

And I'm a little surprised that no one has played the "corpse humping" card on this, because that's certainly what it is.

Not that I really have anything against corpse humping, it's tough to make a buck, but Jerry was not a particularly accomplished banjo player and was little more than an occasional, local bluegrass musician, and a California (italics to infer sneering) musician at that. I'm pretty sure most southern, traditional bluegrass purists won't think much of this; "Nothing but a damned liberal, druggy rock star."

But too bad for them, as it's always nice to see Jerry's legacy carrying on, and I'm sure this will be a nice event.

Hump away!

LLJG!!!!!!!

really lance?

the bluegrass hall of fame is recognizing his contributions and influence. pretty sure a lot fewer people would know bluegrass the way they do now w/o jerry's influence and songs he chose to cover.

and this is wonderful to see nelson also recognized for his early work.

i mean the hunter/nelson/garcia triangle/trinity is responsible for what we have today. 

Each year I go to MerleFest, DelFest and RockyGrass.   I believe that Jerry Garcia is responsible for the attendance of about half the people in attendance - maybe a little less for MerleFest.   It could be argued that Jerry is more responsible than any other single person for today's popularity of Bluegrass/Americana music.  Speaking of "humping," someone should market "Jerry Saved Bluegrass" tee shirts.   

I see both points but tend to think this is more to bring notice (money) to the museum and area than to really celebrate Jerry's legacy in bluegrass.   I agree he's had a great impact in bringing the crowds to the genre. 

People are desperate for dead music.  It's kind of weird how much money is spent on cover bands (Dead Co and PLF included) in a single year.   Heck, i'm still spending cash on CDs.  The yearly gross on all of it I bet is significant.   These people know what they are doing.  

No one is more turned off than I by the current cash-in culture and I am over the cover bands.  As Billy Strings said, "Too many pigs on the teat".  If I want Dead or Allmans I listen to the real ones.

That said the museum bit is legit to me.  

Garcia's folk and bluegrass cred is solid and is well documented, my four years in a bluegrass band most I ran into considered bluegrass to be folk.

His taping mission at early festivals likely influenced his attitude toward tapers and I love that his favorite, Jim and Jesse and the Virginia Boys, is my favorite traditional group.

In terms of the bluegrass genre itself Old and In the Way was the first million selling bluegrass album, no small feat.  Rowan and Clements both played with Monroe.  That record directly gave bluegrass festivals a huge boost just like Garcia launched hundreds of pedal steel players.

Jerry's banjo playing is odd but good, just like his guitar playing.  

I passed through Owensboro on my way to Fur Peace Ranch, it is a good haul from me and I won't travel for it - don't do that much anymore - but if I was close enough I would check it out.

Of all the recent malarkey, and man there has been a shit pile, this exhibit feels real.

Well said, aiq, and I really like that you mention Jerry's taping mission. As I recall, he drove around the country for a month or so seeing Bill Monroe shows and pulling tape, and I have to believe that this also contributed to the greater bluegrass community in some way.

Also, Relix just had an article on the museum and interview with its curator the other day: https://relix.com/articles/detail/deadicated-jerry-garcia-a-bluegrass-jo...

Dude what. Corpse humping? I'm not really sure whether to call that ignorance or heresy.

Jerry was a total force for bluegrass. Stated often that Ralph Stanley was his favorite singer. Peter Rowan and David Grisman were original bluegrass boys; Jerry was their musical acccomplice for decades. Del (another original bluegrass boy) plays Jerry's music pretty much nightly. Member of frank Wakefield's (OG sunny mountain boy's) band. Tony Rice (who without argument is the greatest bluegrass flatpicker ever to live) obviously recorded with Jerry, and by the sounds of things had a great time doing it. Played and recorded with Chubby Wise, Vassar Clemens, and Don Reno. Does anybody even know who these guys are? Do you think they recorded with Jerry because he was "that skeleton band guy?" Those are just off the top of my head, and as already obviously stated if none of that is good enough old and in the way cemented his place firmly in this. Lol ever been to the Ryman? Know what that is? Jerry songs every night!

I dare you to show me a respectable bluegrass show anywhere in America in 2024 that doesn't at least show you a nod to Jerry garcia somewhere in there. You can't. A comment or story from on stage, the stickers on their road cases, the riffs in their songs... look around!! And that's if not outright playing some Garcia in the set or maybe an encore for the fans.

show me a "popular/non-bluegrass" player with more straight line ties to the actual origin and originators of this music.
Someone with more direct influence from, and more impression left upon...

name one

:shakes head:

lotta cool videos coming out.

lauderdale, vince, david, peter, thompson, mccoury boys. good stuff. 

Glendale Train

Nice pic

L-R

andy thorn  pete finney  david nelson   Alwyn Robinson  drew emmitt   Peter Rowan   Vince Herman   Greg garrison   Jim lauderdale   Jason carter

That's actually Dr. Greg Garrison

carry on

I gotta say ... Mice... you put it out there in a most perfect way. The facts are there and the cross country road trip with Sandy Rothman is more solid proof that the high lonesome was being consumed. Jerry chased it before he became famous and his love of Bill Monroe fueled it as I see it. I spent my jr high and high school years in Louisville in the mid 70's and became a fan of this music in one afternoon at the Louisville Bluegrass Festival. The lineup was amazing and included a group of young guys called New Grass Revival. 1977 if my memory is working. 

Jerry was also a big fan of the Kentucky Colonels and their guitarist Clarence White.  Some of the earliest live recordings of Clarence White feature the band being introduced by Garcia.

>>>>>>
 

show me a "popular/non-bluegrass" player with more straight line ties to the actual origin and originators of this music.
Someone with more direct influence from, and more impression left upon...

name one

<<<<<<
 

Roy Clark, Buck Owens, Dolly Parton

Emmylou Harris deserves a nod also for her work with The Seldom Scene, the Hot Band, and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, as do her co-directors Steve Earle and Dave Alvin.

Dave I agree on a good day there is probably a good argument in there for dolly, but honestly the rest of those folks and groups are barely known outside of their respective genres. 

Sure we love them and all, and important to American music as they are; they're eclipsed under the size of shadow Garcia casts

And that reminds me, clarence's brother Roland worked for bill as well

Hee-Haw's influence gets no love.  It was a long-running and popular show.

There's no question that the majority of bands at one of the county's premier bluegrass festivals would cite Jerry / Dead as musical influences. Many incorporate his songs in their repertoire.

And there's no question that thousands of suburban proto-Deadhead kids (like myself) in the 70's incorporated more bluegrass in their musical explorations once we read that Jerry and his cohorts gave a counterculture seal of approval to this genre of music. There was a lot of traditional bluegrass being played around Maryland, but we didn't really consider it "longhair" acceptable until we were exposed to New Grass Revival, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Seldom Scene, and especially Old and in the Way.

Albums by Bromberg, Bewer and Shipley, Burrito Bros, Rowan Bros, the Band and even New Riders also spurred the search for the previous generation of bluegrass players.

Feller named Jerry stopped by and took Ellie Mae out Ballroom dancin at a place called the Avalon. He left these here funny smellin cigarettes. 

well folks the verdict is in.

lance take 3 laps.

Free for Nugs subscribers this weekend:

Jerry Garcia’s deep-rooted affinity for bluegrass started long before the Grateful Dead, and over the weekend the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum honored Garcia's legacy with the "Jerry Garcia: A Bluegrass Journey Exhibit."
Free for nugs subscribers, tune in this Friday & Saturday to catch the weekend's celebration, featuring Leftover Salmon and guests as Garcia Almost Acoustic, the Sam Grisman Project, Peter Rowan, and more.

https://www.jambase.com/article/leftover-salmon-jerry-garcia-tribute-aud...

sets are on etree. i haven't torrented in a decade.

heard great reviews by someone who was there. super neato.

Here's some nice Z-Man auds of 3-29 and 3-30:

https://archive.org/details/los2024-03-29

https://archive.org/details/los2024-03-30

enjoy!

Thank you for sharing.   Looks like a real good time and I've already enjoyed quite a few tracks

Despite Jerry's deep bluegrass influence/experience on the genre as some make claim of, there were some very odd choices here.   West La, They love each other, etc.   Also surprised to see drums included on some of the songs.   Left out plenty of good options out of the mix.  

interesting new you tube about Jerry's first dive into bluegrass by cohort Eric Thompson - who was there when it happened

Jerry Garcia, David Grisman, Tony Rice and Eric Thompson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZC5GMkZiqpA

Mice elf nailed  it.

That said, I was in Owensboro, KY for the 3 day Grand Opening of the Exhibit and just about the ONLY thing I missed were the late night David Nelson & Friends impromptu jam sessions in the rear parking lot until 3:00 am! I heard this was one of the weekend highlights and there are recordings on the Archive too. At 80 years young, I don't know how David does it! But I had media access representing http://HGRNJ.org and I recorded a LOT of Press Conferences, Panel Discussions, which were amazing, Interviews, and I shot some videos of Live Music in Woodward Hall. I gathered so much media that I felt obliged to create a brand new web page dedicated to the Jerry Garcia: A Bluegrass Journey weekend. What I have already posted, is just the beginning. I still have tons of editing and curating to do, so please check it out now and then going forward in the weeks and months to come, as I will be adding to it for at least that long.

Here it is:

https://bob-odonnell.com/jerry-garcia-exhibition

thanks EasyWind!

I'm pleased to have added a Photo Gallery to my new web page "Jerry Garcia ~ A Bluegrass Journey" Exhibit that opened at the Bluegrass Hall Of Fame in Kentucky last month. I have SO MANY photos & videos to still add, but I started with my favorite person whom I met there, Sara Katz, Jerry's first wife. Please check it out!:

https://bob-odonnell.com/photo-gall

https://bob-odonnell.com/jerry-garcia-exhibition

Cheers.

Bob O

...

Well, I'm just coming back to this thread. I knew my comments would stir the soup.

I don't disagree with much of anything said in rebuttal here, but I also still believe that the main reason this two year exhibit is happening is because someone said, "If you do this the museum will get national, even international attention (this thread is proof of that) and LOTS of people will come here who wouldn't have otherwise."

BRILLIANT!!!

And I know the history, I know all the stories and I understand that many, many people directly or indirectly became fans of bluegrass because of Jerry/Grateful Dead.

I became a huge bluegrass fan myself in the late '70s specifically because of Jerry. I actually became a fan by listening to Cousin Al's Bluegrass Hour every Sunday night on good ol' KFAT radio (later to become KPIG, which is still going strong) but I only started listening to that show because I was a young dead head and I knew of Jerry's love and past history with bluegrass, so that meant I needed to listen. Wise move.

I also know that many bluegrass musicians have been influenced by Jerry & the GD, and from that a whole new take on the genre, first "newgrass" and then "jamgrass" developed and became incredibly popular through that influence. (Although, I notice that with a couple of possible exceptions none of the more modern, less traditional groups or musicians are inducted into this HOF, and Jerry isn't being inducted either, it's just an exhibit. For a slight fee)

But I think it's all good. I think it's great that Jerry's roots are being recognized. I think it's great that this place is getting a bump, I think it's great that over the decades many young fans of the Grateful Dead have opened their ears to the genre, I think it's great that many, many people will visit the Bluegrass Hall of Fame who wouldn't have otherwise, I think it's great that we're talking about the place here on the zone, because as far as I can remember, that place was NEVER mentioned here before.

Hell, I'm not sure I even knew it existed until I heard about the Jerry exhibit. Anytime in the past 45 years I would have been interested in checking the place out, but if it wasn't for this deal I would have driven right on by. Now, the next time I'm near Owensboro, KY I'll be sure to stop.

Smart thinking Bluegrass Hall of Fame.

Jerry had zero to do with the advent of newgrass.

That was Earl Scruggs and the Osborne Brothers.

Based on some quick internet research, he wouldn't make a top 20 list of bluegrass musicians.  And those 20 others don't all have wings.   It's a cash grab due to his popularity imo.    

WMOT Roots Radio, Murfreesboro, TN:

www.wmot.org/show/the-string/2024-04-23/jerry-garcias-monumental-influen...