Garcia / Grisman

What Is This?

Jerry Garcia and David Grisman first played together in the early 1960s bluegrass scene, then went their separate ways for decades. In 1990 they reunited in Grisman's home studio and, over the next few years, recorded a series of gorgeous acoustic albums for Grisman's own Acoustic Disc label.

The music blends bluegrass, folk, blues, and jazz into what Grisman calls "Dawg music": unhurried, virtuosic, and full of warmth.

The Story

Their history is a story of a friendship interrupted by fame, and rebuilt through pure musical love.

1. Early 1960s

   Two young acoustic obsessives meet

   Garcia and Grisman meet in the folk and bluegrass revival, two young acoustic obsessives, then drift apart as Garcia goes electric with the Grateful Dead.

2. 1990

   A quiet reunion

   They reconnect and start recording together in Grisman's home studio, purely for the love of it.

3. 1991

   Jerry Garcia / David Grisman

   The first album, a quiet word-of-mouth success that surprised everyone.

4. 1993–1998

   A rich run of records

   A rich run of records follows, including a children's album and a set of jazz standards, all on Acoustic Disc.

5. 1995

   Garcia dies

   Garcia's death ends the partnership; further recordings from their sessions have been released from the archives since.

Start Here

Three videos, in order, are the fastest way to hear what these two old friends built together.

The Albums

The sage-topped cards are the essential entry points into the duo's catalog.

Playlists

One curated YouTube Music playlist of the duo's essentials. Hit the button below to play it.

The Two of Them

At its core this is a duo, but a small circle of players regularly filled out the sound.

• Jerry GarciaGuitar / VocalsTrading his electric roar for a warm, conversational acoustic voice
• David GrismanMandolinThe virtuoso and host, whose "Dawg music" gave the project its shape
• Joe CravenFiddle / PercussionA frequent third voice in the sessions
• Jim KerwinBassThe quiet anchor under the duo on many recordings

Influences

This music grew from bluegrass, old-time, and gypsy jazz. Here are five of the essential sources.

Interviews

Two pieces that give a fuller picture of the friendship and the music behind it.

Going Deeper

Once these records have you, there's a whole world of acoustic music around them worth exploring.

• Acoustic Disc — Grisman's label, a treasure chest of high-fidelity acoustic music beyond the Garcia records.
• The Pizza Tapes — the loose, joke-filled session that added flatpicking master Tony Rice to the mix. Read more →
• The other Garcia projects: his solo albums and the Jerry Garcia Band. Solo albums → · Jerry Garcia Band →
• Old & In the Way — Garcia's early-70s bluegrass band, the roots of this acoustic side.