Nearly twenty years ago Grateful Dead front man Jerry Garcia re-encountered the song Whiskey In The Jar when he recorded the Irish traditional song with David Grisman for their studio album Shady Grove. The next day Jerry showed his Grateful Dead band mates the ditty during a rehearsal at the band’s Front Street space in San Rafael, Calif.
A recording of Garcia performing Whiskey In The Jar with the Dead at the Front Street rehearsal was released as part of the So Many Roads box set. Take a listen to hear a most talkative Jerry shooting the shit with Bobby and teaching the band the tune…
While the Grateful Dead soundchecked Whiskey In The Jar twice in 1993 they never performed it in public. A number of post-Jerry bands including The Dead and Furthur have performed the ditty.
4 Responses
Always loved this recording on that box set. My favorite track in the entire box.
Thanks Scotty. Always been a fave but had never seen the video
I’ve been listening to this this month nonstop as well I found it on spotify, is someone monitoring my feed?? It’s great how jerry can so nonchalantly lead a song and get everyone into it so confident and compassionate. it’s just 1-4-5 with a minor 6 in C, but sounds more complicated.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Op0hR-CsoVM&list=PL84H0x-3zKYntf7r2eZOZcWH6vmr2-sRw&index=3
Thin Lizzy does a great version of this song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_j4OC7-g_84