In a recent Rolling Stone interview “We Were Brothers” (March 11, 2015) Robert Hunter spoke candidly about some of the rougher waters that the Grateful Dead went through. Few in the Grateful Dead world were as affected by Jerry’s addiction issues as Robert was.

When I discovered the Grateful Dead in 1979, like many, my outlook on life radically changed. The scene at the time carried a scent of peacefulness and togetherness. We felt a lure of the late-hippie movement that centered around the band, with a focal point on Jerry.

The insightful interview with Robert showed me the real man behind the bigger-than-real name, Jerry Garcia, along with the human struggle all of us can relate to.