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It's amazing how these tapes still magically appear:

Donna Jean Godchaux Talks Unearthing Long Lost Jerry Garcia Band Recording

 

 

It’s been nearly 40 years since this performance took place. How did you come across these tapes?

A few years ago, some Grateful Dead tapes were discovered in I guess what you might call the basement of the Godchauxes’ family houseboat. Nobody knew those tapes were down there. After all these years, those tapes were found, released and called the “Houseboat Tapes.” [Those reels, from the Aug. 7, 1971 show at Golden Hall in San Diego, were released in 2005 as Dick’s Picks 35].

But, in this case, I found them about a year ago during a move. I didn’t realize that one of these boxes contained all of these Jerry Garcia Band tapes, and I went, “OK, here we go again…” It’s not like we were hoarding the tapes, waiting for some kind of special date to acknowledge that we had them—they were just randomly found in a box that hadn’t been opened.

So it was a nice surprise and we immediately let Mountain Girl know. She was the first one that I called about tapes. It’s great, since so much time has passed, to find something that people have never heard before. It is our good pleasure to have had custody of these tapes, albeit unknowingly, and to see something come of them. I’m very happy about that.

Do you have any guess as to how they ended up in that box?

I’m sure that the Grateful Dead tapes that were discovered were tapes that Jerry gave to Keith to learn Grateful Dead music. As far as these tapes are concerned, I couldn’t tell you, in a million years, how we ended up with them, but we did. Somehow they ended up in a box in my house, 39 years later, and they’re still usable. It was a nice surprise.

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I always get a little bit giddy when I find out a setlist has Big Railroad Blues on it. 

 

Last Friday night I was up late, and an awesome thunderstorm was rolling through, so I decided to take it in from our screened-in porch. I brought out my portable speakers and popped in Dick's Pick #28 (shows from Lincoln NE and Salt Lake City - I really love this collection), watched the lightning show and had a fantastic night.

 

This version of BRRB has Garcia just having so much fun - you can hear the joy. 

 

https://archive.org/details/gd73-02-26.sbd.kaplan.1208.sbeok.shnf

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This should be a cool show. Red Rocks 8/1/16

 

Our celebration of Jerry Garcia’s 74th birthday on August 1st at the hollowed grounds of Red Rocks Amphitheater is building into a truly special evening. The Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration featuring Warren Haynes will return for a third performance at the venue with two magical sets backed by the Colorado Symphony. Led by Warren Haynes, the Symphonic Celebration band includes Jeff Sipe (drums), Lincoln Schleifer (bass), Jasmine Muhammad (vocals) and Jacklyn LaBranch (vocals). LaBranch has an especially deep connection to Garcia’s music having served as a backing vocalist in the Jerry Garcia Band from 1983 until Garcia’s passing in 1995.

 

For this one night only, following the completion of the two set program with the Colorado Symphony, the core band will be joined by organist Melvin Seals, a long-time member of the famed Jerry Garcia Band, and a few other surprise guests, for a full hour-plus 3rd set of music featuring extended improvisations centered around classic Jerry Garcia Band material along with some Grateful Dead favorites. Like LaBranch, Seals held a long tenure in the Jerry Garcia Band joining in 1980 and continues to keep the flame alive with Melvin Seals and the JGB.

 

In addition, we are also thrilled to announce that Haynes will be playing Jerry’s beloved “Tiger” guitar at Red Rocks on August 1st. Built specifically for Garcia by luthier Doug Irwin, Tiger debuted with the Grateful Dead on August 4th, 1979 and remained Garcia’s primary guitar for over a decade. Haynes will be the first to perform on the guitar since Garcia last played it during his final performance with the Grateful Dead on July 9th, 1995 at Soldier Field in Chicago. Special thanks to Jim Irsay, Tiger’s steward, who has graciously made the guitar available for this most special occasion.

 

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My personal favorites of Garcia's named guitars, in order:

 

Wolf

Rosebud

Tiger

 

Where does the Alligator fit in --- by far my favorite. Then probably when he was playing a SG in 69. Wolf is up there, too.

 

 

Though I guess the Alligator and SG were not specifically made for Garcia - which I think was what you going for.

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I've always found the November / December 1972 Playin In The Bands to feature some of the most aggressive, intense, flavored, and all-out "fast" Jerry playing I've heard...

 

For example the 10 December 1972 PITB has some moments where only Billy is even trying to keep up...Dazzling...

 

https://archive.org/details/gd1972-12-10.132778.sbd.droncit.restore5801.flac16

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Where does the Alligator fit in --- by far my favorite. Then probably when he was playing a SG in 69. Wolf is up there, too.

 

 

Though I guess the Alligator and SG were not specifically made for Garcia - which I think was what you going for.

 

Was the alligator a blonde Strat with an alligator sticker? Same guitar with the Harley sticker?

 

The one guitar I never liked, from a visual point of view, was the white Travis Bean. Never appealed to my eye as a "Jerry" kind of guitar.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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Was the alligator a blonde Strat with an alligator sticker? Same guitar with the Harley sticker?

 

The one guitar I never liked, from a visual point of view, was the white Travis Bean. Never appealed to my eye as a "Jerry" kind of guitar.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Yes about the Strat.

 

alligator-mobile1.jpg

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I always get a little bit giddy when I find out a setlist has Big Railroad Blues on it. 

 

Last Friday night I was up late, and an awesome thunderstorm was rolling through, so I decided to take it in from our screened-in porch. I brought out my portable speakers and popped in Dick's Pick #28 (shows from Lincoln NE and Salt Lake City - I really love this collection), watched the lightning show and had a fantastic night.

 

This version of BRRB has Garcia just having so much fun - you can hear the joy. 

 

https://archive.org/details/gd73-02-26.sbd.kaplan.1208.sbeok.shnf

It's always been my contention that (especially in the second half of their career, especially) whenever Big RxR showed up in a show it usually indicated a really hot show. There was something very appealing about that song to Garcia. I know there is for me.

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There is a bunch of GD and JGB shows up at bt.etree today that seem to be un-circulated and/or new Betty Board tapes. That's the first I have heard that there are new ones out there. 

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There is a bunch of GD and JGB shows up at bt.etree today that seem to be un-circulated and/or new Betty Board tapes. That's the first I have heard that there are new ones out there. 

My FB feed literally blew up with that stuff.

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I may grab some of them. I rather like that song Clementine. 

 

I just now dialed up the 2/2/1968 version of that song. After the video was over YouTube kicks to 12-14-1971 and a Pigpen rap. 

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