Jerry Garcia

The Grateful Dead played 2,318 concerts over 30 years. Garcia was ranked 13th in Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitarists. Ben & Jerry's named a flavor after him: Cherry Garcia. It outsells every other flavor they make.

Loses two-thirds of his right middle finger when his brother accidentally chops it off with an axe while splitting wood. He's 4. It doesn't stop him from becoming one of the greatest guitarists of his generation. He picks up the guitar at 15 after his mother gives him an accordion for his birthday and he convinces her to exchange it.

Co-founds the Grateful Dead in Palo Alto. They become the house band for Ken Kesey's Acid Tests. The band plays for 30 years straight, never disbanding. Garcia hates being called the leader. "I don't want to be the leader. I'm just the guitar player." The Deadheads follow the tour anyway.

Falls into a diabetic coma for five days. Nearly dies. His doctors tell him he was days from death. He has to relearn the guitar. It takes months. The band goes back on tour. He doesn't stop smoking, doesn't lose weight, doesn't quit heroin.

Dies of a heart attack at Serenity Knolls drug rehabilitation center in Forest Knolls, California. He is 53. He'd struggled with diabetes, obesity, smoking, heroin, and cocaine for years. His ashes are scattered partly in the Ganges River in India and partly in San Francisco Bay.