THE CANAL STREET STRING BAND: "FOLK AND BLUES ROOTS OF THE GRATEFUL DEAD"
The Grateful Dead exposed generations of music fans to the nooks, crannies, branches, and offshoots of American roots music like perhaps no other act of their size and influence. Jerry Garcia grew up listening to field recordings, jazz, traditional folk songs, bluegrass, and ancient Child ballads, first getting together with Bob Weir and Pigpen NOT to start a rock-and-roll band, but to play jug band music.