Top 10 Jerry Garcia Most Emotional Guitar Solos

[@shads929]

I guess this is why we loved Jerry ... Not a single rendition of what's listed here would break my top 5 of even what I saw live. Different perspectives but still respected. I didn't start seeing him live until "72" and was west coast, never traveling further east than Red Rocks but I saw a lot of Jerry & the Dead for over 20 years. Of course I've indulged in countless hours of tapes & video as well. I think you've undertaken an impossible task here but thanks for your effort.

[@MrWallybones]

I appreciate what you have done with this video. For me every time Jerry strapped on that guitar it was special! 💜✌🏽

[@SanFranciscoFatboy]

as someone who accepted w/ joy being a hippy since 1967 , jerry's passing was so sad..... from afar he seemed to have everything a good hippy would ever want..... and then he died early...... it makes me cry sometimes :).

[@Bunbeck-pf9iw]

I cry all the time still because of being so inlove with him ! ❤️🐇🐰🌹💕💀☠️⚡️🌙🥰😍😘🪽👻👌🏼✌️✨goodnite!

[@Bunbeck-pf9iw]

I still feel the pain to deeply , to painful ! ❤️🐇🐰🌹☹️🥲😢😚🥹😶‍🌫️😍🥰😘love to us old hippies ! I’m turning 76 in a few months !

[@TankWilliams__Jr]

None of these are my top 10. And that’s what makes Jerry so special. ALL BANGERS! 🔥

[@kenlinke6834]

Doing a list like this is almost impossible, you did good. I feel honored and privileged to have been there for #2, on a bad night Jerry was good, on a good night he was magical, on an inspired night, well decades later it still brings tears to my eyes.

[@Deadikace]

Thanks! Stay tuned for part 2 soon :)

[@herberthines6495]

I was at the Hampton 11/19/93 show. Great Shining Star and the whole show was magical.

[@tomratcliff3755]

No judgement on the BEST, but all of them are spectacular! I can guarantee that I am going to dive into each of these shows based upon these curated clips!

[@dustpampetersen6637]

Gold addition of solo work, nice…thanks!

[@kimjodoin868]

I can shut my eyes and be back there! Thanks you so much

[@donkyot7152]

Number 6 is my all timer. I get goosebumps every time I listen to it without fail. They didn’t even play the best part in this clip. So damn good.

[@andrewstricklin182]

I'm a guitar player and I really appreciate you posting this. I love seeing Jerry put it all together and I can see him implementing a lot of the inversions and shapes I'm trying to incorporate, of course not as masterfully as him. Still, it's a journey and it's s encouraging, feels like I might be seeing a little more of the map, thanks Jerry!

[@Deadikace]

Glad to hear that :)

[@feloniousfloyd2203]

Happy birthday Jerry. RIP!!!

[@TCshore1]

Jerry is in the stratosphere of guitar soloists

[@MikeWilliamson-cl6zd]

He had 100’s of great solos

[@luismendezp.183]

Beaitiful solos!

[@samkirby3775]

Jerry's playing is like freedom's road map. He'll take you places.

[@Trishmarie122]

Perfect ly said friend ❤

[@leoncharleton6563]

Prayers answered. Thanks for this list.

[@joeseddit]

can't go wrong with a title like that. I like your choice for "peggy-o". I'm always looking for the best solos on that one. Early 80s gets a bad rap from some heads, but that's where you'll find the best Peggy-O. So many to choose from that would qualify, but I'd prolly have the version you posted first as well in terms of "emotional". Good stuff.

[@JB-Deadskins]

The concept of this list really captured my imagination, so thank you for that. And let me say that there's no way to say any solo is more emotional than another to a particular listener. So, let's just say the solos from these 10 songs are the most emotional. That way everyone can relate to a show they saw or tape they had. As for your list, love the solos, and some are truly emotional, but others are just really good Jerry. Where are the 2nd Set weepers? Any emotional list has to include Stella Blue, or Comes a Time, China Doll, or Days Between. And there's way, way, way, TOO many JGB and other side acts emotional songs, because he had the entire musical catalog to choose from. Limiting it to just Grateful Dead is hard enough. Adding in side acts makes it impossible.

[@DavidAcevedoAlvaro]

Impossible task here dude but great job. Didnt know there was Cornell footage available

[@BoulevardRecording]

Good lord I need to make one of these. 77 is full of his best solos

[@akatsaris]

Thanks for sharing your list - I enjoyed checking it out. I don't have videos to link, but you might want to also listen to: "Beautiful Jam" 12/19/71; Peggy-O 3/18/77; Jerry's first solos on Sugaree 5/21 & 5/22/77; and Uncle John's Band 12/26/79. The lists could go on and on . . .

[@classicrocklover1234]

All those you mentioned are great especially the 12/26/79 that whole show is smoking insanely

[@Deadikace]

Will check them out thank you!

[@krausewitz6786]

Man, I've not listened to 3/18/77 in YEARS....I gotta queue it up again...

[@jasonralph8330]

I think you mean 2/19/71 for Beautiful Jam

[@LudiCrust.]

Nothing got me more than an epic Stella Blue and/or Morning Dew to draw down an hour long rock session. China Doll occasionally too but not on the level of Stella or Dew.

[@evoddubb]

Back again, friggin morning dew at Alpine rips! It takes me away,like I’m in a trance. Spotify has more Dead than I knew existed. If you don’t have it,and love music you’re missing out.

[@michaelb.42112]

I'm a bass player from the Bay Area and I love Jerry's tone, style, and approach. I have guitar player friends who hate his playing and I just don't get it. Jerry has one of the most recognizable sounds, like all great musicians all you need to hear is 5 seconds and you know it's Jerry.

[@streetvan1997]

Great list. I would like to see more of these done. Most of these versions I’m very familiar with. I would’ve picked a different July 89 Morning dew with the 7/4 version. But 7/19 is also very good. Jerry was just incredible.

[@evoddubb]

Brown eyed at Cornell is an absolutely amazing solo. Might be the best I’ve heard. There’s another at Cornell, scarlet begonias like I’ve never heard before. First time seeing them was 1977 at capital center in Maryland,wish I’d seen em in 72 but I was 13.

[@ScottSawyer]

I'm on board with that version of Peggy O, studied it many times. However my all time fave is the JGB version of Senor

[@ludomirsteinbruck9376]

You are familiar with When the Hunter gets caputed by the game by JGB?

[@rickysiegel2548]

completely agree -- even the solos in Simple Twist of Fate from the live JGB album warrant a place on this list!

[@Jt7264a]

Gotta be best video recordings

[@Promontory_Ryder]

I love you guys

[@5thlevelweb887]

+1 for Senor

[@Pale_Hollow]

Cool selection! I would add Morning Dew Lyceum 72, Fire On The Mountain 10/14/83, Looks Like Rain 12/29/77

[@davekennedy4498]

I was going to rip on your list and say "you must be tripping. Emotional....really?" And then you got number one right. His best solo ever. The other nine could be anything else

[@Deadikace]

If you think the other 9 solos are not soulful you're the one who must be tripping 😂

[@Deadikace]

But I know a lot are missing, like Brokedown Palace, He's Gone, Stella Blue... will make a part 2 soon

[@treyr6169]

For real, that mission in the rain gives me goosebumps, and jerry shreds that whole rockpalast show that's one of my faves that dudes trippin

[@ThomasPappas-r3v]

One show too many deadheads who don't play guitar love to ignore is 77 Cornell which I am glad was included here. But to say the Scarlet solo/Fire Solo, Morning Dew Solo, and I could go on didn't feature Jerry at his best (for 1 simple reason -with Phil playing bass that was so groovy and inspired it's very difficult for a player with as much knowledge as Jerry (not in terms of pure chops Although he has great chops) has regarding bluegrass, country, blues, jazz, soul and all American Music in general to not hit the right notes at the right time. I get it. You are going for pure emotional content and without a lot of bends and vibrato it's unlikely that your solos will move fans to tears. But as far as perfectly musical playing I can't think of any year during and evening where Jerry was this consistent and couldn't be uninspired or lose flow. The notes were just flowing from his soul on that Special night where everyone was inspired by Phil's rolling bass lines.

[@Stonerose17]

My best impression of jerry is major 7 over stuff that minor pentatonic would do fine for.. then switching to mixolydian at the right time for a minute And yet there is so much chromatic stuff going on! Gerry was super intuitive, relly played directly from his heart, impossible to copy.

[@mja4wp]

AS a life long fan I was kinda amazed there is not one Stella Blue on this otherwise grate list. :)

[@dershed]

Comes A Time as well. Those are the two most glaring omissions in my opinion.

[@johnmacbeth7023]

Morning Dew 7/11/70 Fillmore East midnight till dawn. Mercy!

[@StarDarkAshes]

Some of the Looks Like Rain solos are 🔥 as well.

[@treylyde999]

Never knew the man but he wears a good friend of mine. Miss you Jerry I miss you

[@gregoriomerelli5182]

Viva grrTyful. Dead

[@owenwilberforce6138]

Any time he played "She Belongs to Me" by Dylan would be one of my favorite solos of his. There are several online and that one song in his hands redefined the song- showing why he was so beloved. Anything on "Blues for the Rainforest" too, an album of Merle Saunders he played on is also riveting. His phrasing, the way he slowed time down, the way he anticipated tension and release, it's mesmerizing. If folk, jazz and blues ever found a true symbiotic champion, Jerry blended all those styles into something modern and classic at the same time. Once he played his version of a song, there was no need for going back, and back was not even an option.

[@langwaters9653]

3/20/77 Row Jimmy Row, second solo. Absolutely sublime. Made my eyes wet with tears the first time I heard it, with no enhancement other than headphones.

[@socialdef3]

He was an encyclopedia of guitar knowledge... and he had it all seamlessly connected, heart, mind and soul in those solos. My favorite is Days Between, those solos make you tear and cry, like the soul sighing and crying is what those solos sound like

[@jeffreyeisenberg]

I am a late bloomer to the Dead. I was supposed to see them with my bad older brother in 1972. I got the tickets as he had asked but I was only 14 and didn’t drive. And he took his college friends and I wasn’t included. Still haven’t forgiven him. Saw them a bunch of times. My wife asks me to listen to Jerry to calm me down from the stresses of life and it works most of the time.

[@carycrediford7036]

Smart woman/ woman smarter 😀 I’m listening right now as a stress reliever! Long live the music and spirit of the dead 😎✌️🇺🇸

[@MarsHalekGuitar]

So you listened to every single solo Jerry ever played to arrive at this definitive list, right? Just playing. Good stuff, man!

[@tomwynn921]

Can't believe the Morning Dew from Europe '72 wasn't chosen!

[@herberthines6495]

I Shall Be Released from the official JGB live double album release is the best.

[@mikeatl4953]

Nice list. That folks is how you get a like and subscribe.

[@TheStupidAmerican]

The first one was where im from just a month after i was born, and here i am 29 years later enjoying it

[@MrMick50]

The most emotional jerry solo has to be comes a time buffalo 77

[@searing7549]

Best show ever!

[@marcgagnon7500]

That 2nd solo is my favorite piece of recorded music, period. ✌️😍✌️

[@bluetrane67]

Amen brother!

[@SomboonCM]

I only got one Shinning Star. But it was the show I bought my parents to.

[@miguelfernandezdiaz6592]

Yo recuerdo que escuche una version del tema I'll Take A Melody (lp Reflections) de la gira europea del 81. Las sensaciones que me llegaron fueron indescriptibles, siguiendo la melodia referida, improviso un solo final que me deslumbro, de tal manera que me es imposible recordar un solo de otro guitarrista con tanta intensidad y carga emociinal. Jerry era unico

[@jwollheim]

Oh man that Mission is so unbelievably good. One of the all time best for sure. I totally disagree with all the rest but that’s part of what makes the dead so incredible.

[@mirmel73]

The next night in DC is even better!!

[@RonaldRector-xv1kv]

So many roads to ease are souls jerry had the kindest soul of us all and then we became kind searching for are souls thru his music . There music and such wisdom Robert hunter Bob Barlow. the weir Wolf Phil Bill Micky and all are keyboard players standing ovation standing on the moon rather be with you dance.like nobody's watching spinning spinning free? Soul brother Ronnie Ron peace love ❤and light ❤

[@joebarr725]

I once read that the two songs that Jerry most connected with emotionally were Wharf Rat and Stella Blue.

[@ErikShen2907]

Capt. Trips was IN PEAK FORM IN ALL OF THESE!! ACK ACK ACK!

[@DJFarallon]

I enjoyed all the music. My personal favorite has always been the comparison between the first and second solos on "Big Railroad Blues" from Skull and Roses. This is pedantic, I know. Did I get all the guitars correct? So Many Roads: Lightning Bolt Friend of the Devil: Tiger Waiting for a Miracle: Tiger I Shall Be Released: Rosebud Mission in the Rain: Wolf Peggy-o: Tiger Brown-eyed Women: Travis Bean Althea: Tiger Morning Dew: Tiger Shining Star: Lightning Bolt

[@herberthines6495]

9/18/94 So Many Roads

[@洋三金子]

ありがとう！from japan yozo

[@Deadikace]

どういたしまして!

[@ivanfortuny2244]

The Album Reflections and the Dead Barton Hall concert 77 Have in My opinión the greatest Riffs From Jerry he was one of a kind .☮️

[@Marybell11]

I've never seen live footage from Cornell. Anyone have a link to the full concert?

[@Deadikace]

It's not the real footage, I used a footage from another version from the same year and synced it with the audio just for entertainment ;)

[@Marybell11]

@@Deadikace well done!

[@docwill184]

Almost any version of 'Loser' has Jerry squeezing the last bit of crying emotion from the storyline.

[@mcuserton]

Agreed. To each his own, etc, but I was surprised not to see Loser on the list

[@TransitiveNightfallofDiamonds]

#1: Comes a time 5-4-77 NYC; #2 Morning Dew 5-26-72 Lyceum; #3 Morning Dew 5-23-72 Lyceum; #4 Morning Dew 6-18-83 Toga

[@briangosnell9521]

Who’s the Black guy on the keyboard during “ I shall be released”? Thanks

[@robertherrera912]

That would be JGB long time partner, Melvin Seals.

[@NukesOfHazzard]

Row Jimmy should not be ignored...

[@Rottenknee]

Might I add Dozin at the Knick. Stella Blue If that doesn’t pull your heart strings I don’t know what to tell you.

[@toddmorrissey8372]

When he kicks on the distortion and he squeezes out that one fedbacked note....killer.

[@johnmacbeth7023]

Oh yes

[@xianshep]

Actually, Number One is on the 'Death Don't Have No Mercy' from Live/Dead.

[@jimiamfirshur4778]

Post it!

[@xianshep]

Super easy to find - it's a legendary album. But okay kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZOco56fpdilZsk @ 4:03 to 6:55

[@Bunbeck-pf9iw]

This is powerful + beautiful to the ends of time ! ❤️🐇🐰🌹💕💀☠️⚡️🌙✌️👌🏼1️⃣🌏🥰😍😘🪽👻😶‍🌫️NFD! 😥🥲😢😰

[@herberthines6495]

I was at the Hampton 93 show for that Shining Star. Too bad the operator of the camera was having seizures during this solo? He is definitely not getting the videographer position. Sheesh! Anyway…that Shining Star was like 25 minutes long and so beautiful indeed. Gotta love jgb solos. Also check out 9/18/94 So Many Roads for one of the best latter day solos.

[@leebaker5518]

The Dead's success would not have been but for the collaboration between him Robert Hunter. Regardless, being a master guitarist, Jerry was destined to be a success playing solo or with a band.

[@onepointofview]

I don’t think these are his best solos, not even for these tunes. But it doesn’t matter what I think.

[@Deadikace]

Who said best? It's 10 of his most soulful guitar solos imo, obviously there are many of them missing, that's because there are too many of them, will make a part 2 soon.

[@kevindffd2291]

yeh. he sucks. 😂

[@JustinRogacki]

Love that version of BEW

[@Deadikace]

the best!!

[@Ned88Man]

Personally, I think some his best work was with JGB

[@docwill184]

"Jerry's Band in the Garage?"

[@Ned88Man]

oops... JGB@@docwill184

[@kevinhennessey3189]

Standings on the Moon 12-6-89 2ioth Clarence Clemons is a great solo. You also seem biased towards the end of his career some brilliant solos from the early days also. the MLB jam from 11-11-73 is my personal favorite. I can hear the smile on his face when i hear that jam, coming out a Dark Star.

[@DavidAcevedoAlvaro]

Do you happen to know the Big man /Jerry connection? How it came to happen ? I always wondered how Bruce and Jerry never got together and di and olf folkie album

[@kevinhennessey3189]

@@DavidAcevedoAlvaro I don't know how that happened, I knew they did have Branford Marsalis sit in on a number of shows during 89-90.

[@toddmorrissey8372]

​@@DavidAcevedoAlvaroThey started playing together during the time the E Street band was broken up. Clarence looked to get into other things. Was backstage frequently, jammed with JGB/GD several times(mostly west coast, where Clemmons had moved) and CC, Weir and Garcia almost all moved in together, as they all enjoyed partying. They tried voting him in the band, but were vetoed by at definitely Hart at least. I much preferred Marsalis for his jazz improv abilities.

[@markungar181]

Those who know don’t say, those who say don’t know 25:58 26:01 lo

[@forestchild3511]

Visions of Johanna? Come one it’s the most haunting solo ever recorded by Garcia

[@toddmorrissey8372]

Never recorded. Only played live maybe half a dozen times.

[@Zas1972]

rap is a acronym,rhythm and poetry..people who play instruments makes beautiful nuance of sounds singers or rappers contribute their own vocal or rap sound,so when you combine instruments vocals or rap,you create a song that becomes,MUSIC

[@bluetrane67]

Morning Dew 9/18/87...but I guess it doesn't matter anyway

[@elmoblatch9787]

October 1973 Oklahoma City - Stella Blue - I disagree with this list, and that's OK - but you need to listen to the OK Stella.

[@robertbuzby3769]

Brokedown Palace...

[@gavinsnyder5627]

Such an overrated group. It sincerely sounds like amateur playing. Like all joking aside, he sounds like your average guitarist you'd see in a bar band. I've time and time again have given it a chance to see what all the hype is about but it's honestly just uninspired, undynamic crap. Literally sounds like someone who has no passion or variety. I've seen them live. I have family who worships anything the dead did. Can't say I haven't given it an honest chance. I I really listen to a huge variety of music. Few bands are as tediously senseless to me as the dead. Even bands I don't particularly like have something I can atleast understand despite not being into them. The dead really have nothing and sound like basic, generic musicians.

[@emersonward6996]

Agreed. To me, this is further proof you had to be on drugs to consider these guys good. Garage level players at best their entire career. For me personally, the Dead's meanderings are on par with KISS ... it's a band I'll never get and never want to. On the other hand ... if someone digs them, cool ... have at it. Music is for everyone ... and you are your own arbiter of taste.

[@gavinsnyder5627]

@emersonward6996 it's funny you mentioned Kiss. Also a band I'm not into. Their entire career is dependent on gimmicks. The music itself just isn't my style in the least. But atleast they seemed to have some passion behind it. Whereas the dead are so relentlessly monotoned. Kiss capitalized on the lack of gimmicky groups at the time. While the Dead basically did something similar but instead with naive burnouts tripping balls. Art is art an ultimately subjective. But it really is ashame when bands like Kiss get such crazy amounts of praise while so much underground artist go relatively unheard of. People tend to think fame means you're good or the best at something. While the reality is it's just the common denominator.

[@persevere4]

Let's face it, the flavor for the Grateful Dead music is an acquired taste, the virtuosity of Jerry Garcia cannot be denied. His improvisation is nearly unique and the adage "he never played the song the same way twice," always a subtle improvisation: his prowess in fashioning different hooks made him a standout. He also wrote and arranged his music. I like the long songs that empathize the jazz type drummer, fine bass and rhythm guitar. to each their own.

[@dj-um7el]

I'm half and half with you, but I do love their older garage and Psychedelic stuff a lot!

[@carycrediford7036]

Go away

[@johndiaz1024]

Give me a break

[@JayRiemenschneider]

There are some god awful versions in here, particularly the FOTD.

[@stratjed]

A list of emotion? FUTILE. We have no clue what Jerry was thinking at any point in his 53 short years on this mud ball. Studying Jerry Garcia's art is all fine and well but when you start claiming to quantify his emotional investment in solos your way off in the weeds. Jerry might have said something like "I was thinking about how pissed I was about stubbing my toe earlier that day when I was playing that Solo ". Or "Man I had the worst heartburn that night I ate crap in my hotel all day". Or probably "Women are sent by the devil to torture me!" We don't have a clue what Jerry was thinking while playing for us. As a guitar player I heard a lot of "Nailed that" and "Oops, I'll get that next time" going on but wouldn't claim my concept of what he was thinking held any validity whatsoever. Thank you, God, for letting me be alive in the age of the Grateful Dead and letting me experience it.

[@jamesklinger5605]

Good stoner noodle Roni and a beloved fuzzy bear Jerry kept the the myth of Dionysus alive in his gatherings. I think that was one of his most important contributions to rock, his cult will live on in the psychedelic counterculture mythology that began in the'60s when the tribes began forming Jerry was a psychedelic Papa Bear. When he died, President Clinton lowered the White House flag to half mast in his honor!

[@StephaneVoizard-yr4lv]

Lol😂 I don’t get it

[@andreo735]

Blues for Allah

[@AndyNyle]

He appears to play like someone who is tone deaf and somehow makes it out well and has followers.

[@aloemango]

melodic interpretation partner

[@-FERN6NDO-]

Worst guitar player ever!

[@Deadikace]

Lol, I bet you like shredders and guitar players who play fast but just to make noise

[@-FERN6NDO-]

@@Deadikace of course, I do like shredders.

[@dj-um7el]

Definitely not the worst lol

[@papaskip]

OK, he's good but he's not THAT good. For me he lacks intensity. Contrast Jerry with Randy Rhoads, who upped everybody's game in the 80s.

[@Deadikace]

Two extremely different styles of music and guitar players, not comparable imo

[@dj-um7el]

​@@Deadikace yeah, was gonna say. I can see how some people ain't into this, but Jerry Garcia goes for something different and belongs in a separate genre.

[@Eline_Meijer]

John mayer does a far better job at lead guitar than jerry

[@stevenschultz1833]

R u high

[@stevenschultz1833]

John Mayer is good Jerry was one in a million

[@Deadikace]

Lol

[@dj-um7el]

You must be higher than Jerry saying this lol

[@Eline_Meijer]

@@dj-um7el or.....and hear me out here...im right.

[@kevinryan7669]

He's awful

[@joebee7817]

Jesus, can the guy play one note in tune?

[@medicineman1202]

Those solos are weak. He's just playing in a block pattern

[@Deadikace]

They are not meant to be impressive or difficult to do, they are creative and emotional, saying otherwise would only come from a very subjective and biased opinion. And no, he's not only using basic major and minor scales. There is no other guitarist who can play like him, what can you play?

[@medicineman1202]

@@Deadikace sounds more random than creative, I would consider it talent.

[@Deadikace]

@@medicineman1202 It's ok, not everyone can understand their music, it's just not for you.

[@haikat4]

​@@medicineman1202 watch up to #6 at least that's when they get rly good

[@peytoncappitelli5864]

He’s playing a lot of mixolydian and lydian scales I don’t know where the block pattern bullshit came from

[@jfrockon]

Such an over rated musician.

[@thomasrohr3130]

Said the Joker to the Thief

[@jfrockon]

@@thomasrohr3130 Garcia sucked and you know it... RIP

[@thejamnasium6447]

haha

[@Deadikace]

Really? Did you know that most people in Europe haven't heard him of him or the Grateful Dead? he's one of the most underrated musicians of all time, Roy Buchanan is also one of them

[@jfrockon]

@@Deadikace He should not be rated lol Roy Buchanan was a badass tho...

[@Bunbeck-pf9iw]

I love all that Jerry’s does because I love him after all these years gone by in the New Year of 2025 Jan.5 ❤️🐇🐰🌹🥲😢☹️😘🐦‍🔥🐉💙🕊️🪽🥰😍😘🩵👽🪐🛸🚀love to all !

[@Nahninja]

John Mayer is the only reason I know about the dead! Props to JM for a new generation of dead heads