Mike Gracia

Jerome John "Jerry" Garcia (August 1, 1942 – August 9, 1995)

Garcia was the guiding force of the Grateful Dead band during their thirty-
year career and was ranked the thirteenth-greatest guitarist of all time by
Rolling Stone magazine. He lost two thirds of his right middle finger in a
wood chopping accident which gave him his unique style of guitar picking.

Jerry Garcia was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. He
had long struggled with drug addiction, weight problems, sleep apnea,
heavy smoking, and diabetes—all of which contributed to his physical
decline. He was staying in a California drug rehabilitation facility when
he died of a heart attack.