Today marks 25 years since death of Jerry Garcia, legendary Grateful Dead guitarist
SAN FRANCISCO -- Sunday marks 25 years since musician Jerry Garcia's death.
Garcia, the legendary guitarist in the Grateful Dead, died Aug. 9, 1995 of a heart attack, just days after his 53rd birthday
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Roughly 25,000 fans gathered on Aug. 13, 1995 to remember the artist at a public memorial at San Francisco's Golden Gate Park.
San Francisco celebrates "Jerry Day" at the Jerry Garcia amphitheater at McClaren Park annually as a tribute to the group and its founder.
In 2015, his daughter Trixie spoke to ABC7 about her dad's fan base.
"All these people are like my family," she said. "I've grown up with this fan base and this music, so it's like being at home for me."
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The tribute began in 2002 as a day to raise money to fix up a run-down playground.
Garcia spent years living in the nearby Excelsior District as a child.
The amphitheater was named in his honor in 2005.
In 2017, a plaque was unveiled in the Excelsior in honor of his legacy.
His daughter told ABC7 at the time that her dad would've appreciated the location of the plaque.
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"This has always been the hardest working neighborhood in San Francisco," she said. "There's a lot of pride and a lot of family roots from all different cultures."
Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead's legacy lives on in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond as we mark 25 years since the iconic musician's death.
