Jerry Garcia's impact on bluegrass music will be on full display for the next two years at the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame in Owensboro, Kentucky. The exhibit, called Jerry Garcia: A Bluegrass Journey, opened on March 28, 2024, with a historic weekend of music, panel discussions, documentary screenings, and other festivities honoring the late Garcia's career.
More than a dozen musicians from throughout Garcia's life joined the house band, Leftover Salmon, for three nights of music and celebration. Hundreds of Jerry’s friends, former bandmates, business associates, and diehard fans flocked to Owensboro on the banks of the Ohio River to relish in the memories and stories of Jerry's early days as a young banjo picker and learn about the ways he consistently returned to the bluegrass genre throughout his career as the leader of The Grateful Dead and The Jerry Garcia Band.
The Exhibit
The idea for the exhibit started in 2019 when Leftover Salmon played on the stage out back of the Hall of Fame. “We were touring the museum, and the assistant director at the time mentioned that they really wanted to put together a Garcia exhibit,” said Leftover Salmon’s Vince Herman, the Music Director for the weekend. “My buddy Cliff Seltzer, who is the Acquisitions Director for the exhibit, and I just looked at each other and thought, ‘let's make this happen.’
“It’s just been amazing to get this kind of support,” he continued. “To have the museum get behind this thing, which has not always been accepted in the bluegrass world, you know? This California hippie bluegrass stuff.”
The event kicked off on Thursday morning with a press conference and the official opening of the exhibit, which features a selection of Garcia’s personal instruments and belongings, rare recordings, albums, letters, photos, and other treasures generously donated by friends and family. These artifacts tell a story that connects Jerry’s bluegrass roots through a decades-long music career. Visitors can also view a series of interviews with people such as David Grisman, Del McCoury, Billy Strings, Carolyn “Mountain Girl” Garcia, and others.
A pivotal moment that is highlighted in the exhibit is Garcia’s cross-country road trip in 1964 where he headed east to find and learn from his bluegrass heroes such as Bill Monroe and The Osborne Brothers. It was on this trip where Garcia and David Grisman first met.
The Panels
Throughout the weekend, attendees could sit in on a series of panel discussions where deep conversations broke out about Jerry’s life and the legacy and impact that he had on bluegrass music. Panels included “Before the Dead”, which highlighted the various bands and gigs that led to the eventual formation of The Grateful Dead. “Garcia: Legend & Lore of a Bluegrass Freak” allowed listeners to hear personal stories about Jerry from first-hand sources in his life, bringing a humble realness to the larger-than-life icon.
During the “Old & In the Way” panel discussion, founding member Peter Rowan recounted the formation of Old & In the Way, a short-lived bluegrass group featuring Garcia, Rowan, David Grisman, Vassar Clements, and John Kahn. Sugar Hill Records founder Barry Poss shared a humorous anecdote about Owsley “Bear” Stanley sleeping on the steps of the Sugar Hill studios to ensure the quality of the album they were pressing would live up to his high standards of quality.
Another noteworthy panel moderated by Rolling Stone writer Garrett Woodward, “From Monroe to Strings”, discussed the future of bluegrass music. Many panelists sang the praises of up-and-coming artists such as Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle & The Golden Highway, Sierra Hull, and more, while trying to answer the question, ‘Is bluegrass music an attitude or a sound?’.
Two-time Grammy winner Kyle Tuttle, who plays banjo with Molly Tuttle and the Golden Highway, participated in the panel, lending his perspective as one of the up-and-coming artists to be paying attention to. Tuttle spoke to the ways that modern bluegrass and “jamgrass” bands bring new fans into the fold and introduce them to the classics.
Wrapping up the panels for the weekend, longtime Grateful Dead publicist Dennis McNally moderated a panel titled “Jerry Garcia’s Legacy.” McNally was also available during a book signing of his book Jerry on Jerry, which quickly sold out of every copy in Owensboro. Susana Millman, McNally’s wife and longtime photographer of The Grateful Dead, nicknamed the Mamarazi, was also selling and signing her book A Fly on the Wall with a Camera. The husband and wife swapped stories from their life, recounting the time Jerry Garcia walked Susana down the aisle at their wedding.
Listening Sessions and Documentary Screenings
On Saturday afternoon, “Hawk”, a longtime friend and partner of the infamous audio engineer and LSD chemist Owsley Stanley, treated guests to a listening session of a never-before-heard recording of an Old & In the Way concert. Hawk serves on the board of the Owsley Stanley Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to preserving and restoring Bear’s archive of more than 1,300 concert recordings, hundreds of which include Jerry Garcia’s projects.
The listening session showcased selections from reels 777-783 of Bear’s archive. The recently preserved tapes featured crystal-clear audio that transported listeners straight back to the Bay Area on the evening of October 3, 1973, where the show was recorded at Homer’s Warehouse. Bear’s often stubborn obsession with sound quality was on full display as the theater of bluegrass fans listened in awe as old photos of Old & In the Way were displayed behind Hawk on stage.
“When we formed the foundation, we consulted the Grammy archiving protocol. It is a draft protocol for the preservation of tapes,” explained Hawk. “We started with that as our template, and we drafted a protocol that we follow every time we go through the process of preserving Bear’s tapes. There are, of course, some very quirky Owsley Stanley Foundation wrinkles that we add to it when we release it.
“Everything that we release gets plangent processed, so essentially we transfer it again,” he continued. “The plangent process eliminates the wow and flutter in the recording and basically reclocks the tape and takes out some of the distortion. We find that there is a nice value added there.”
The results of this hard work can be heard clearly on any of the Owsley Stanley Foundation releases known as Bear’s Sonic Journals. As of now, there are no plans to publicly release the tapes that were played over the weekend.
In addition to panel discussions, book signings, and listening sessions, several movies were shown in The Woodward Theater in the Hall of Fame. Daily documentary screenings included Grateful Dawg, Long Strange Trip (Part 1), and Festival Express.
Despite all the various happenings throughout the walls of the Bluegrass Hall of Fame all weekend, no true celebration of Jerry Garcia could exist without live music, and there was no shortage of incredible performances throughout the weekend.
Thursday Evening
On Thursday evening, The Sam Grisman Project, led by David Grisman’s 33-year-old son, invited several friends to join them on stage to honor Garcia, including several former bandmates of Jerry’s. Peter Rowan (Old & In the Way) joined the band for "Mississippi Moon" and "Midnight Moonlight." Eric Thompson, who played in the Black Mountain Boys, delivered beautiful versions of "The Beaumont Rag" and "Little Sadie." Other guests of the night included Ronnie McCoury (Del McCoury Band and The Travelin’ McCourys), Andy Thorn (Leftover Salmon), and singer-songwriter Jim Lauderdale.
The Sam Grisman Project - Woodward Theater - March 28, 2024 Setlist
Set 1
Opus 38 >
Shady Grove
Three Men Went A Hunting
The Wicked Messenger
Dawg's Waltz
Red Rockin' Chair >
Eat My Dust
Hot Corn, Cold Corn
Dark Rider
River Of Fools
Two Soldiers
It's Alright To Be Alone
Set 2
I Truly Understand
Bow Wow
When First Unto This Country
She's No Angel
Sitting Here In Limbo
Mississippi Moon (w/ Peter Rowan)
Midnight Moonlight (w/ Peter Rowan)
The Beaumont Rag (w/ Eric Thompson)
Little Sadie (w/ Eric Thompson)
Telluride (w/ Ronnie McCoury)
Dawg's Bull (w/ Ronnie McCoury and Andy Thorn)
Till The End Of The World Rolls Around (w/ Ronnie McCoury and Andy Thorn)
Ripple (w/ Ronnie McCoury, Andy Thorn, and Jim Lauderdale)
Encore:
Sing Me Back Home (w/ Jim Lauderdale)
Friday Evening
Leftover Salmon was billed as the house band for the rest of the weekend, but the audience was in for an extremely special treat when Vince Herman unexpectedly introduced The Black Mountain Boys after the evening's show kicked off with four banjos on stage at once. Original Black Mountain Boys David Nelson and Eric Thompson were joined by members of Hot Rize, Leftover Salmon, and The Travelin’ McCourys for a memorable and historic walk through bluegrass history.
The Black Mountain Boys - The Woodward Theater - March 29, 2024 Setlist
Sweet Sunny South (w/ Pete Wernick, Kyle Tuttle, Andy Thorn, and Chris Joslin on banjo)
Jerry's Breakdown (w/ Pete Wernick, Kyle Tuttle, Andy Thorn, and Chris Joslin on banjo)
Vince Herman introduces The Black Mountain Boys
Dark Hollow
Crawdad Song (w/ Ronnie McCoury)
Salt Creek
Love Please Come Home
David Nelson Story About Tex Logan
Diamond Joe
Rosalee McFall
After a short set break, Chris Joslin, Executive Director of the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame, took the stage.
“What we’ve heard so far is some of the roots and early influences of bluegrass, old-time, and folk music that Jerry Garcia was involved with, but now we’re moving on to the next part of the story when things begin to change and take shape,” Joslin said excitedly. “Some new collaborators come along, and it really moves into some very fun directions. So, without further ado, let’s get the rest of the Leftover Salmon boys back out here!”
Taking the music in some really fun directions is exactly what they did. Diving deep into the Garcia songbook, they delivered nearly two more hours of music, welcoming out many of the weekend's special guest musicians for some larger-than-life collaborations, starting with Peter Rowan, Eric Thompson, and legendary folk-music revival singer Maria Muldaur on vocals.
No era of Jerry’s life went unrecognized during the show, with songs spanning his decades-long career and across his many projects and inspirations.
Leftover Salmon - The Woodward Theater - March 29, 2024 Setlist
The Race Is On
Headed For The Hills
Sitting Alone In The Moonlight (w/ Maria Muldar, Peter Rowan, and Eric Thompson)
Richland Woman Blues (w/ Maria Muldar and Eric Thompson)
Dim Lights, Thick Smoke (w/ Peter Rowan, Pete Grant, and David Nelson)
Panama Red (w/ Peter Rowan, Pete Grant, and David Nelson)
Like A Road (w/ Peter Rowan, David Nelson, Pete Grant, Kyle Tuttle, and Ronnie McCoury)
Cumberland Blues (w/ Peter Rowan, David Nelson, Pete Grant, Kyle Tuttle, and Ronnie McCoury)
Bird Song (w/ Peter Rowan, David Nelson, Pete Grant, Kyle Tuttle, and Ronnie McCoury)
Catfish John (w/ Peter Rowan, David Nelson, Pete Grant, Kyle Tuttle, and Ronnie McCoury)
Friend Of The Devil (w/ Peter Rowan, David Nelson, Eric Thompson, Pete Grant, Kyle Tuttle, and Ronnie McCoury)
I Know You Rider (w/ Peter Rowan, David Nelson, Eric Thompson, Pete Grant, Kyle Tuttle, and Ronnie & Heaven McCoury)
Encore:
Sisters And Brothers (Dark Star Tease)
In typical bluegrass music fashion, within thirty minutes of the show ending, some of the musicians began setting up chairs in a circle on the back porch of the Hall of Fame. What started with Vince Herman picking with a couple of others quickly escalated into a good old-fashioned bluegrass jam. Several of the musicians from the show earlier and a handful of lucky fans who were smart enough to have brought their instruments joined in, and one-by-one the circle grew to more than fifteen musicians, including the Hall of Fame's director, Chris Joslin. For more than three hours, the musicians dug deep into the well of timeless bluegrass classics, occasionally stopping for a story or joke break. Finally, knowing there was another exciting day still left to honor Jerry, the crowd dwindled, and the musicians began heading to sleep for the night. Archivist and taper known as "Z-Man" was lucky enough to capture most of this jam session on a live video that has been shared online.
Saturday Evening
Saturday night brought a similar energy and performance as the previous, with some different band arrangements, special sit-ins, and perfect song choices. After a brief introduction and banter between Vince Herman and David Nelson, the evening once again started off with a special set by The Black Mountain Boys, this time with the original members joined by Sam Grisman on bass, Ronnie McCoury on mandolin, and both Jason Carter and David Mansfield on fiddle.
The Black Mountain Boys - The Woodward Theater - March 30, 2024 Setlist
Barefoot Nellie
Ain't Gonna Work Tomorrow
David Banter About Del McCoury
Teardrops In My Eyes
Freight Train Boogie
After starting out with the Hunter/Garcia tune, "Black Peter" and Dobson's "Morning Dew", Salmon invited David Nelson, Pete Wernick, and Pete Grant to join them for "Ashes of Love" and "Crooked Judge", a tune that Robert Hunter penned for Nelson.
Switching up the musical lineup, next to the stage were Eric Thompson, Maria Muldaur, and Peter Rowan for a toe-tapping rendition of Bill Monroe’s "Blue Moon of Kentucky", a nod to the birthplace of bluegrass which is only a few miles from the Hall of Fame. All of the guests from the previous night took their turns coming on and off stage - Tuttle, Lauderdale, the McCourys, and more.
After an electrifying weekend celebrating acoustic string music, Leftover Salmon and friends treated the crowd to a final set of songs before calling it a weekend. Every inch of the stage was sprinkled with musicians who joined together for a cathartic version of "Going Down the Road Feeling Bad", which they appropriately segued into The Grateful Dead’s "We Bid You Goodnight" before leaving the stage.
Leftover Salmon - The Woodward Theater - March 30, 2024 Setlist
Black Peter >
Morning Dew
Ashes Of Love (w/ Pete Grant, David Nelson, and Pete Wernick)
Crooked Judge (w/ Pete Grant, David Nelson, and Pete Wernick)
Blue Moon Of Kentucky (w/ Eric Thompson, Peter Rowan, and Maria Muldaur)
Memory Of Your Smile (w/ Eric Thompson, Pete Grant, Peter Rowan, Maria Muldaur, and Jim Lauderdale)
Louisiana Blues (w/ Eric Thompson and Pete Grant)
Jibaro Hoedown (w/ Eric Thompson, Pete Grant, and Ronnie McCoury)
West L A Fadeaway (w/ Pete Grant, Ronnie McCoury, and Kyle Tuttle)
Loser (w/ Pete, Ronnie McCoury, and Kyle Tuttle)
They Love Each Other (w/ Pete Grant, Ronnie McCoury, and Kyle Tuttle)
I'm Blue And Lonesome Too (w/ Peter Rowan, Jim Lauderdale, Ronnie McCoury, and Kyle Tuttle)
Black Muddy River (w/ Pete Grant, Jim Lauderdale, Ronnie McCoury, and Kyle Tuttle)
Angel Band (w/ Pete, Maria Muldaur, Jim Lauderdale, Ronnie McCoury, and Kyle Tuttle)
Midnight Moonlight (w/ Pete Grant, Maria Muldaur, Jim Lauderdale, Ronnie and Heaven McCoury)
Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad (w/ Pete Grant, Jim Lauderdale, Ronnie and Heaven McCoury, and Kyle Tuttle)
We Bid You Goodnight (w/ Pete Grant, Jim Lauderdale, Ronnie and Heaven McCoury, and Kyle Tuttle)
The exhibit will be on display for the next two years, and while nothing has officially been announced, many of the key players were excitedly talking about making the Jerry-themed weekend a tradition with more shows possible in the future.
A John Hartford quote was tossed around throughout the panels and stages throughout the weekend. Hartford said, “If bluegrass music gets any more popular, we’ll have to start playing it for people we don’t even know.” Well, Mr. Hartford, we’ve officially reached that point in time. And with Jerry’s contributions, bluegrass music is not stopping anytime soon.
