Jerry Garcia, A Legacy?

Don't go overboard on the
Guy.   Also  Jim Morrison 
You guys make these guys   Hero's 
  Its more like the people
Around these guys

Just by chance I was listening to "The Pizza Tapes" with Garcia, David Grisham and Tony Rice when I came upon this thread. I was turned onto the GD in 1978 by a good friend. I have been to many shows over the years, some excellent, some bad and everything in between. The thing that strikes me most about Garcia is the emotion of his music. Technically great, maybe not but emotional, very. Jerry and the band started me on a musical journey that has introduced me to a wide variety of wonderful music (old and new) and opened my mind and heart to new musical ideas. I will forever be great full (pun intended) for that.

You just mentioned The Pizza Tapes. There is always one guy who has to keep telling everyone his knowledge, opinions, and taste are better than ours. Well when Tony, Jerry, and Grisman played together, listen to the dialog, there was a whole lot of mutual admiration.
Jerry was not technically a great singer, but he could touch your heart, as could Bobby, and I was very fond of Brent. Some of my favorite artists would never win the Voice, but there is something special about all them. Dylan, Tom Waits, Lou Reed, all soar beyond their vocal limitations. Listen To Jerry on "Lucky Old Sun" Vol 8 Milwaukee WI 1991, it is beautiful, both the vocals, and the whole bands playing.. I was there, I had shitty seats, but was glad to be there.
As to song writing Hunter/Garcia would go in my top 10 list of my generation. And I don't think any band either GD or JGB did a better job interpreting Dylan songs. Jerry's version of "A Simple Twist Of Fate", is brilliant.
As to the Beach Boys, I know McCartney and others thought Pet Sounds was brilliant. I've tried, it has it's moments, but I don't hear it. Now Sgt Pepper, that was brilliant. PBS just showed a documentary on Sgt Pepper, I highly recommend it.

I seldom discuss music online, as everyone has their own tastes, and that is fine. But I will never understand the dickheads who feel it is necessary to piss all over music that the OP enjoys. Years ago, I quit reading the Asylum's Music posts. Someone would hear the newest Diana Krall album, and the assholes would magically appear.
There are bands I despise, but you may like them, why should I crap on your tastes. It is as valid as anyone else. Anyone who wants to expand someone's tastes, would be better served by saying hey, if you like Krall check out__________ insert similar artist you think might expand that person's musical journey.
For many of us, the Dead hold a special place in our hearts, and in our music collections. In his last years Jerry was having problems with arthritis. And I think if he was still alive he would have retired, or only played, occasionally.
I recently read somewhere how grateful John Mayer is to be a part of Dead and Company. 
To the OP, thanks for sharing. As I am not a grammar critic, I found it easy to read. But it's nice that someone felt the need to point out the need for paragraphs.When I first got a PC, I only read Audio Forums, then over the years I have been involved in many different forum topics. It cleared up one misguided belief. I found that there were arrogant assholes on most sites. What a relief, I had thought it was just audiophiles who had an unusually large number of assholes. Turns out they are all over the internet.

" How would their Audience know ?" Schubert, please advise as to the context of this question. 

I think Jerry's guitar playing had a lot to do with timing, and not the actual sound.  I don't dance, but when I heard Jerry(and his band) at the Stone, my feet began to move.