I miss Jerry

I have been a follower of the Dead since I was old enough to buy their music and I am an old fart! But Mon. the 9th is the anniversary of his death, and his birthday was just last week. The dead was not just Jerry but the band was as one. All their money went into one pot, they all lived in the same house and had their own Hang out in San Fran where they all went everyday. Never a commercial hit band, touch of Gray being their most successful commercially. They had a following of people who in gypsy caravans followed the dead and a whole culture evolved from this group known as "Dead Heads". Pig Pen the leader of the band before he died, had a def. influence on the band and after his death, Jerry took that position. Never one for the limelight Jerry just made music and played in the band, appearing in his "Uniform" of black t shirt and shorts, Jerry never wore tye dye, Phil was the one to be colorful. Jerry had a bunch of other projects as did all the members and today the Dead still tour under the name of "The other Ones" Just not with Jerry of course. The Dead influenced the Band New riders of the Purple sage who had a couple of commercial hits with "Henry, Panama Red, and L.A Lady". The era between "American Beauty and Workingmans Dead" is considered by many of my friends to be the best time of the band before Jerry discovered Heroin. Jerry died in rehab of a heart attack more than likely brought on by his addiction. Like the Kennedy assassination and the Challenger explosion people remember where they were when they heard of his death. I was on an Island in the Chesapeake bay known as Fox Island. He was buried in LA with his current wife and his former wife Mountain Girl in attendance as well as a group of well know celebrities. Jerry is gone but the music lives on.