A Gift For You: Christmas Time’s A-Comin’

One of the many pleasures in exploring the Garcia Family Vaults is unearthing special moments to share with the community. In the spirit of the holiday season and with the help of Jerry’s long-time friend and collaborator Sandy Rothman, we present one such special moment (and a few words from Sandy sharing the inspiration) in the form of a free download to help spread a bit of holiday cheer. Enjoy this one-of-a-kind performance of “Christmas Time’s A-Comin'” from the Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band recorded live on December 6th, 1987 at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles, CA. A Jerry Christmas to all!

For us in the JGAB, performing Bill Monroe’s seasonal classic “Christmas Time’s A-Comin'” (recorded originally in 1951) was an in-the-moment decision. We were playing the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles in December of 1987, having come back to the West Coast after our unforgettable Broadway run, and were starting to feel that old holiday feeling…inspired by Jerry’s well-known love of Christmas. We had Kenny Kosek with us, a fiddler who plays the melody beautifully. I suggested the song while we were warming up. We ran through the chorus and Jerry wrote the title on the set list. We were definitely in our usual seat-of-the-pants mode, so not every word in the verses may be in place—but it was great fun to sing. I’ve always wanted to send this out to our friends and fans as a little holiday gift. I think we can all use some holiday cheer along about now, so here it is. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! — Sandy Rothman

Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band:Jerry Garcia, lead guitar and lead vocalsDavid Nelson, rhythm guitar and baritone vocalsSandy Rothman, mandolin and tenor vocalsKenny Kosek, fiddleJohn Kahn, string bassDavid Kemper, drums