Jerry Garcia - (Rock Musician) Lead guitarist and vocalist for the seminal 60s rock & roll band, The Grateful Dead, Jerry Garcis was also a teenage Army recruit. At age 17, Garcia joined the US Army. After his time in the Army, he moved to Palo Alto, CA, and in 1966, formed The Grateful Dead. Over the next five years, while The Dead grew in popularity, Garcia also guested with a number of bands, including "New Riders of the Purple Sage" (a band which he helped form), "Jefferson Starship," and "Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young." Garcia stayed active as a both a solo performer and member of The Grateful Dead until his death in 1995.