"It’s a common misconception among the unconverted that the Grateful Dead’s music was characterised by aimless noodling, rather than by deftly deployed fretboard know-how": 5 songs guitarists need to hear by the Grateful Dead

Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir performing with the Grateful Dead at the Greek Theater in Berkeley on September 13, 1981.

Formed in Palo Alto, California in 1965, the Grateful Dead are remembered for a great many things: for their counter-cultural tendencies and enthusiasm for mind-expanding drugs; for their jammed-out live performances and the “long strange trip” that lasted 30 years and saw them rank as one of the highest grossing touring acts in US history; for having only one single from their 13 studio albums make a dent in the in Billboard top 40; for their ‘Wall Of Sound’ live speaker rig and permissive stance on bootleg recordings; for their dedicated ‘Deadhead’ following and for a legacy of tie-dye t-shirts, dancing bear bumper stickers and a signature flavour of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.  

But it’s the magical six-string partnership of Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir that we’re here to celebrate in this list of five essential Grateful Dead tracks that every guitarist must listen to.