Before The Dead: A New Collection Exploring Garcia’s Early Years

On May 11th, Round Records will release an expansive retrospective box set titled Before The Dead which brings together a rare collection of the earliest known performances by Jerry Garcia. From an informal and intimate 1961 performance of simple folk songs at a birthday party with future songwriting partner Robert Hunter to more polished coffeehouse gigs with old-timey and bluegrass bands through 1964, this collection showcases Garcia’s deep study of the folk music tradition and its influence on his musical journey leading to the formation of the Grateful Dead. Even with his entire musical career in front of him, Garcia’s magnetic presence as a performer can be plainly heard in these first steps.

Before The Dead is produced and curated by longtime Grateful Dead publicist and author Dennis McNally and documentarian Brian Miksis who also contributed extensive liner notes to the collection bringing historical context for each performance and the carefully researched lineage of each recording. The liner notes, along with track by track essays and listening notes by musicologist & bluegrass historian Neil V. Rosenberg, essays from Sara Ruppenthal Katz (Garcia’s first wife) and Stu Goldstein (former owner of The Tangent) and rare photos and memorabilia comprise the 32-page book included with the collection.

Before The Dead will be released in two physical configurations – a limited edition 5-LP boxed set and a 4-CD edition. The 5-LP boxed set is pressed to 180-gram vinyl in a limited edition of 2,500 by Quality Record Pressings from lacquers cut by Ron McMaster at Capitol Records. The recordings contained within Before The Dead were restored and mastered by Fred Kevorkian. Both configurations are now available for pre-order at GarciaFamilyProvisions.com in advance of their May 11th release date.



Before The Dead Tracklist:

SIDE ONE:

Bob and Jerry

May 26, 1961

Brigid Meier’s Sixteenth Birthday Party

Menlo Park, California

1. SANTY ANNO

2. I GOT A HOME IN THAT ROCK

3. OH, MARY DON’T YOU WEEP

4. ALL MY TRIALS

5. I WAS BORN TEN THOUSAND YEARS AGO

6. BLOW THE CANDLES OUT

7. RAKE AND A RAMBLING BOY

8. TROUBLE IN MIND

SIDE TWO:

Jerry Garcia, Marshall Leicester, and Robert Hunter

July 1961

Boar’s Head Coffeehouse, Carlos Book Stall

San Carlos, California

1. BROWN’S FERRY BLUES

2. JESSE JAMES

Jerry Garcia and Unknown Musician

Summer or Fall 1961

Boar’s Head Coffeehouse, Carlos Book Stall

San Carlos, California

3. DOWN IN THE WILLOW GARDEN

4. LONG LONESOME ROAD

5. RAILROAD BILL

6. THE WAGONER’S LAD

7. KATIE CRUEL

SIDE THREE:

Sleepy Hollow Hog Stompers

June 11, 1962

Boar’s Head Coffeehouse, Peninsula Jewish Community Center

San Carlos, California

1. CANNONBALL BLUES

2. LITTLE BIRDIE

3. SALLY GOODIN

4. HOLD THAT WOODPILE DOWN

5. LEGEND OF THE JOHNSON BOYS

6. SHADY GROVE

7. SWEET SUNNY SOUTH

8. MAN OF CONSTANT SORROW

SIDE FOUR & FIVE

Hart Valley Drifters

Fall 1962

KZSU Radio Studio A, Stanford University

Stanford, California

1. BAND INTRODUCTIONS

2. ROVING GAMBLER

3. GROUND SPEED

4. PIG IN A PEN

5. STANDING IN THE NEED OF PRAYER

6. FLINT HILL SPECIAL

7. NINE POUND HAMMER

8. HANDSOME MOLLY

9. CLINCH MOUNTAIN BACKSTEP

1. THINK OF WHAT YOU’VE DONE

2. CRIPPLE CREEK

3. ALL THE GOOD TIMES HAVE PAST AND GONE

4. BILLY GRIMES, THE ROVER

5. PADDY ON THE TURNPIKE (BOYS, MY MONEY’S ALL GONE)

6. RUN MOUNTAIN

7. SUGAR BABY

8. SITTING ON TOP OF THE WORLD

SIDE SIX:

The Wildwood Boys

February 23, 1963

Top of the Tangent

Palo Alto, California

1. ROLL IN MY SWEET BABY’S ARMS

2. JERRY’S BREAKDOWN

3. STANDING IN THE NEED OF PRAYER

4. MULE SKINNER BLUES

5. SATURDAY NIGHT SHUFFLE

6. PIKE COUNTY BREAKDOWN

7. THE LITTLE SPARROW

8. WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED

SIDE SEVEN:

Jerry and Sara

May 4, 1963

Top of the Tangent

Palo Alto, California

1. DEEP ELEM BLUES

2. WILL THE WEAVER

3. I TRULY UNDERSTAND

4. LONG BLACK VEIL

5. THE MAN WHO WROTE HOME SWEET HOME NEVER WAS A MARRIED MAN

6. FOGGY MOUNTAIN TOP

SIDE EIGHT:

Black Mountain Boys

Fall 1963

Top of the Tangent

Palo Alto, California

1. BAREFOOT NELLIE

2. SHE’S MORE TO BE PITIED

3. NOAH’S BREAKDOWN

4. WHO WILL SING FOR ME?

Black Mountain Boys

January 10, 1964

Top of the Tangent

Palo Alto, California

5. SALT CREEK

6. MONROE’S HORNPIPE (JODY’S HORNPIPE)

7. ROSA LEE McFALL

8. JOHN HARDY/CLOSING THEME

Black Mountain Boys

March 6, 1964

Top of the Tangent

Palo Alto, California

9. KATIE KLINE

10. WALKIN’ THE DOG

SIDE NINE:

Black Mountain Boys

March 6, 1964

Top of the Tangent

Palo Alto, California

1. PADDY ON THE TURNPIKE (BOYS, MY MONEY’S ALL GONE)

2. LOVE AND WEALTH

3. SOURWOOD MOUNTAIN

4. IF I LOSE

5. HOMESTEAD ON THE FARM (I WONDER HOW THE OLD FOLKS ARE AT HOME)

6. STONEY CREEK

7. SALTY DOG BLUES

8. LOVE PLEASE COME HOME

9. MAKE ME A PALLET ON THE FLOOR

10. DARLIN’ ALLALEE

SIDE TEN:

Black Mountain Boys

March 6, 1964

Top of the Tangent

Palo Alto, California

1. IN THE PINES

2. RAW HIDE

3. BLACK MOUNTAIN RAG

4. TRUE LIFE BLUES

5. MEDLEY: DEVIL’S DREAM—SAILOR’S HORNPIPE

Black Mountain Boys

Spring 1964

Top of the Tangent

Palo Alto, California

6. DRINK UP AND GO HOME

Asphalt Jungle Mountain Boys

Summer 1964

Top of the Tangent

Palo Alto, California

7. THESE MEN OF GOD

8. ROLL ON BUDDY

9. GOODBYE OLD PAL

10. BACK UP AND PUSH

Note: The 4-CD Edition is comprised of the following – CD 1: Sides 1 & 2; CD 2: Sides 3, 4 & 5; CD 3: Sides 6, 7; and CD 4: Sides 8, 9 & 10