Such an enigmatic figure in history. One of the greatest guitarists ever, and like all true talent his playing was wholly unique. But it was also strangely egoless, for example looking for holes to fill instead of digging them himself; allowing his bassist to play lead; and not caring that his rhythm guitar player refused to play rhythm. Phil Lesh’s autobiography was called “Searching for the Sound” and I always thought he was projecting on what Garcia’s story would be called, if he ever got around to writing it. Garcia didn’t write words however, he just wrote the music, night after night, and as a result pushed forward an improvisational style that had no precedent and has no successor. A style so innovative that it pushed a man that had no interest in being leader into the quasi-spokesman for 60s hippie/haight/counterculture politics and culture. Above and beyond the music itself. He had no interest in doing that or being that or wanting, he just wanted to search for the sound, as he is above. And it ultimately destroyed him.
