Grateful Dead Black Muddy River

15 years a go today I was pulled out of a grad school class by a friend who shared with me the news that Jerry had passed away the previous night about 100 miles north of where I was in Monterey. I miss him to this day...The Dead were much more than a band...I won't bore you with all the details, but let's just say I have some great friends as a result of the countless days and hours we spent with them. I had tickets to see the Dead that coming October at Shoreline that would sadly never be used.

If memory serves, I had dinner that evening with my Uncle Jon (seriously), and then I grabbed a beer or three and sat out on the rocks at Lovers point by myself for a couple of hours and smiled at all the great times I had shared listening to him both live and recorded.

I found this video (at the bottom) on youtube of the final song Jerry ever sang in concert..it is very low quality...but after about 75 seconds you can hear Jerry croon.

Black Muddy River
When the last rose of summer pricks my finger,
And the hot sun chills me to the bone,
When I can't hear the song for the singer,
And I can't tell my pillow from a stone,
I will walk alone by the black muddy river,
And sing me a song of my own,
I will walk alone by the black muddy river,
And sing me a song of my own.

When the last bolt of sunshine hits the mountain,
And the stars start to splatter in the sky,
When the moon hits the southwest horizon,
With the scream of an eagle on the fly,
I will walk alone by the black muddy river,
And listen to the ripples as they moan,
I will walk alone by the black muddy river,
And sing me a song of my own.

Black muddy river, roll on forever,
I don't care how deep or wide, if you've got another side,
Roll muddy river, roll muddy river, black muddy river, roll.

When it seems like the night will last forever,
And there's nothing left to do but count the years,
When the strings of my heart start to sever,
And stones fall from my eyes instead of tears,
I will walk alone, by the black muddy river,
And dream me a dream of my own,
I will walk alone, by the black muddy river,
And sing me a song of my own, sing me a song of my own.