I’ve been wanting to share this bootleg for a long time. The copy that my sister gave to me as a gift years ago is entitled Lonesome Prison Blues. This is Jerry Garcia playing acoustic with John Kahn on the bass in front of a small audience of inmates at the Oregon state penitentiary on 5-5-82.

The recording is decent with only a couple of flaws. Jerry was in great spirits this day and his playing reflects it. Jerry sounds much like he does on Run For The Roses, the last of his solo albums which was recorded around the same time. The Oh Babe It Ain’t No Lie still brings a tear to my eye when I hear it.

Most deadheads will already have this in their collection and if anybody is willing to trade for the lossless soundboard version in circulation I’d love to get a copy. Here is the info from the etree db. As far as I know, this show has never been officially released and is under no copyright restrictions. So sit back, listen and enjoy!

Oregon State Prison, Salem, Or. (5-5-82)

1. Deep Elem Blues 2:30
2. Friend Of The Devil 5:45
3. Jack-A-Roe 4:39
4. Babe, It Ain’t No Lie 6:12
5. It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry 5:33
6. Run For The Roses 3:45
7. Ripple 4:20
8. I’ve Been All Around This World 4:06
9. Valerie 6:32
10. Dire Wolf 3:43
11. Rubin And Cherise 5:50

38 Comments

Georg
Feb 7, 2007 at 3:35 pm

Thanks so much for sharing! I can’t wait to listen to these.


 
dac
Feb 7, 2007 at 4:30 pm

Thanks for sharing, but … tracks 3, 4, and 8 seem to be MIA! (Probably just a problem with the URLs?)


 
Matt
Feb 7, 2007 at 4:47 pm

Eeks! Sorry bout that, got the URLs all straightened out and tracks 3, 4 and 8 are now available.


 
Joseph A. Ricker Jr.
Feb 8, 2007 at 6:14 am

I’ve had this show on tape since the early 90’s. This is better qaulity than my cassette.


 
Sugarmagknowya
Feb 8, 2007 at 7:15 am

Dude!!! Thank you from the utmost bottom of my heart!! What a kind brothah to share w/ us. Love, light & peace your way!!


 
spacefulhead
Feb 14, 2007 at 8:01 pm

thanks so much!!! all the searching i’ve done for acoustic dead never found this till now.
Thank you so much for sharing this!


 
Jeff H
Feb 22, 2007 at 1:15 pm

thank oh so KINDLY! this is one of my favorits shows. Ihad ti years ago on tape and lost , now can jam again to it.
your generosity is makes my ears bloom each time I hear this


 
Holly
Feb 26, 2007 at 6:13 am

I’ve had this on tape for 12 years, but haven’t listened to it in a long time, due to tapes being obsolete. How can I get a copy on disc?


 
Chuck C.
Feb 26, 2007 at 8:43 pm

I agree that it’s a great set of music. Nothing fancy. Just honest, acoustic beauty. Thanks for sharing it with the world and helping to keep Garcia’s music alive.


 
Bob
Mar 13, 2007 at 4:43 pm

Do you know of anywhere the tabs to this song are posted? I would love to learn some of these songs, and several of them i have never heard before antwhere else. any info would be greatly appreciated!
THANX


 
Hank
Mar 20, 2007 at 6:16 pm

Thank you so much, there is lettle out there fro the days of solo Jerry on acoustic (I recall a magical night in Hartford or was it Springfield?) In an event, # 7 & #8 are MIA, both are truly missed.
Fare ye well


 
Mike
Mar 22, 2007 at 11:44 am

You’re such a legend! I’ve been looking for this recording for years now and haven’t been able to find it anywhere. Thank you so much!


 
Gonzolla
Mar 23, 2007 at 7:13 am

Awesome music. If you haven’t heard this yet, listen to it. I have a copy of it on CD and was listening to it in the car on the way to work today, but it is poor quality. I was just searching for an image of Jerry at the time and stumbled on this site. I hope that this is better quality. I will listen to them when I get home from work today. Can you copy the songs down to your computer? I will try and find out tonight I guess.

Best to everyone


 
RP
Apr 3, 2007 at 1:25 pm

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!


 
Matt
Apr 3, 2007 at 2:33 pm

I’m glad everybody is enjoying the show so much, feels great to spread the love.

Mike, thanks for the nice words and the review on stumbleupon!

Gonzolla, you can download the tracks in mp3 format by clicking on the title.

Holly, download the mp3 files and then use your favorite cd burning software to create an audio cd (I use Toast)


 
Ryan of the RSL Blog
Apr 3, 2007 at 3:25 pm

Many many thanks are due. My best to ya. Cheers!


 
Paul
Apr 3, 2007 at 5:04 pm

Good Job! Well Done! Kudos! Thank You!


 
Ben
Apr 6, 2007 at 5:05 pm

So glad to find this again.


 
angie
Oct 4, 2007 at 11:56 am

This just made my work day 1000 times better:)
Thank you


 
ickmusic
Oct 25, 2007 at 10:31 pm

[...] But on a Google image search, I stumpled upon a great site, Cuckoobird.net. Matt beat me by a few months. He posted the show back in February. And poke me with a stick and call me Frank, he still has the show up. Bless his soul. [...]


 

[...] Jerry at the Big house in OR in 1982 [...]


 
C
Nov 2, 2007 at 7:56 pm

How do I download these. I went camping about 9 years ago and two dudes smokin’ mass amounts of weed gave me this tape……and I misplaced it….and I’ve been lookin’ for it ever since.


 
Peace Pipe
Dec 18, 2007 at 7:27 pm

Danks Man! This is awesome stuff. I’ve been a deadhead for over 20 years and never even knew this one existed! I saw Jerry solo, (not JGB) in 89 in Philly. It was a magical show from a magical man. As is this! What great sound too. Thanks again!


 
Jeffrey Stebel
Dec 24, 2007 at 6:49 pm

Hi, I was just wondering if comment 22 had been answered already? I’d like to know as well…peace luv grease.


 
jlc
Dec 26, 2007 at 11:58 am

Where is the best site to find tapers and traders?


 
jason
Feb 6, 2008 at 9:19 pm

Hey man I originally bought this on cassette at worcester st. college at a flee market sometime in the early 90s’ It is unbelieveable thank you for giving it to me within a fingers touch!!!


 
Rhianna
Feb 15, 2008 at 6:54 pm

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU from the bottom of my grateful heart! i have this tape around from many many many moons ago, sacredly buried somewhere, dusty, among my other traded shows… i have always pulled it out on occasion to reattune to the real life, the truth, the dharma, the LOVE, the LIGHT, the IS, the ME, the YOU, the US, the teacher… the ONE. “i ain’t afraid of the cold cruel world outside…” - Jerry Garcia

the quinessential raw, unaltered, unfettered Jerry Garcia.

Rest in Peace,
and Thank you Family!!
In Grateful Eternal Bliss,
Rhianna
p.s. WOW i’m a HIPPIE! ahahahaa


 
Nathan Gabriel
Feb 20, 2008 at 5:35 pm

I heard this bootleg a log time ago and lost it. Its good to here it again, do you know where I can download it or buy it?


 
Pete Durfee
May 21, 2008 at 7:34 pm

Technology is great. Being an ol fart dead head that used to collect vinyl bootlegs, this is awesome. I can copy this to my Zune, plug myself in take a few hits and turn the clock back decades. Can’t thank ya enough.


 
Irieric
Jun 9, 2008 at 12:41 pm

Please tell me how to download this show?


 
Smooth
Sep 24, 2008 at 11:12 pm

Unreal, God I miss Jerry.

Thank you so much for posting this for everyone to enjoy.

Great stuff!


 
Shawn
Oct 4, 2008 at 7:20 am

Man this is one of my favorite albums… thank you so much!


 
Capt' Space
Oct 15, 2008 at 7:13 pm

Thanks for the stream, u can download this beauty at http://www.sharefreemusic.com (find the jerry section) alng with another 8 disc set that is a supurb collection of tasty treats… Hands down the best Oh babe ever to grace the ears of anyone, what i would do to be locked up in oregon in 82… maby somebody could answer this question that has been irkin me… what song does the inmate request at the end of oh babe it aint no lie… i just cant make it out… maby your ears are better than mine… thanks for the stream… “We can all be together, forever and ever, when we make it to the Promised Land”…. -Capt…


 
Carmen
Oct 16, 2008 at 8:16 am

I snagged this disc from my sister years ago…felt terrible about losing it. Now I can replace for her B-Day!!! Thanks so much.

~ C


 
Mischa
Nov 7, 2008 at 7:35 pm

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! My husband used to have a bootleg copy of this recording that had belonged to his identical twin brother who comitted suicide. My husband hopped on and off of Dead tour as a runaway for years, and we were actually at the same show (didn’t meet there though) 1994 @ RFK in DC. When our son was born, he was named for his deceased uncle without hesitation. Our son was always difficult to get to sleep, and my husband used to always sing “I’ve been All Around this World” to him… Our relationship was very volatile, but I would always know we were going to have a good day if my husband put in his brother’s tape of this. Eventually, I convinced him to make me a copy–which I lost, then he misplaced his… I have been SEARCHING for it for years (our son is now 4!) I cannot express how grateful I am to you for sharing… It is extremely special to our family and I can now make him a CD for his birthday! Maybe we’ll get back together for good ;) THANK YOU A MILLION TIMES OVER–your kindness will be returned tenfold.


 
Matt
Nov 8, 2008 at 8:16 pm

Hey Mischa, your comment warms my heart. I’m so glad that I was able to reunite you with this show. Its amazing how therapeutic Dead music is especially in times of turmoil in life. Hunter and Garcia had a synergy which allowed them to create so much beautiful music with an amazingly uplifting message.

“If you get confused listen to the music play!”


 
mark t
Nov 14, 2008 at 9:16 pm

thanks,,sounds naked and glorious but with clothes on.great recording thanks…..chubby bearded guys are not my type(hetro only) but jerry will always be my favorite guitarist/musician


 
GR8TFULSCOTT
Nov 20, 2008 at 12:36 pm

CAN’T WAIT TO LISTEN TO THIS. boy i miss the good old days.
i miss you jerry. when work is tough the boys are always on the streaming radio. i am still hearing new shows every week 60’s 70’s80’s and so on.

scott
buffalo grove,il

first show 1978 uptown theater, chicago


 

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