8/1/1942: Born on this day, Jerry Garcia, guitar, vocals, The Grateful Dead. Garcia served as lead guitarist, as well as one of the principal vocalists and songwriters of the Grateful Dead for their entire career. Garcia composed such songs as “Dark Star“,[50] “Franklin’s Tower”,[50] and “Scarlet Begonias“,[50] among many others. Robert Hunter, an ardent collaborator with the band, wrote the lyrics to all but a few of Garcia’s songs. On August 9, 1995, at 4:23 am, eight days after his 53rd birthday, Garcia was found dead in his room at the rehabilitation clinic.