Jerry Garcia

I have recently been listening to a lot of music by guitarist Jerry Garcia from the Grateful Dead, and was unaware that he is missing the majority of his middle finger on his right hand! It is amazing that he could overcome this challenge and make amazing music throughout his life. He was a true melodic improviser, playing blues lines derived from simple motifs and minimalistic vocabulary. Along with the free form jazz influenced solos found throughout the bands' music, they also wrote some amazingly catching tunes. It is no wonder that their amazing music has lasted for so many generations. You can really learn a lot about how to play guitar by listening to Jerry Garcia.