Jerry Garcia Band covering “Catfish John” is the latest preview of the upcoming GarciaLive Volume 17: NorCal ’76 archival collection due out on November 12 via Round Records. The “Catfish John” comes from JGB’s November 12, 1976 show at Freeborn Hall at the University of California Davis.
The announcement for GarciaLive Volume 17: NorCal ’76 came in September along with a preview of “Sugaree.” The Davis outing is one of three concerts in the 14-track collection which also boasts standout performances from JGB shows in Berkeley and Humboldt State University all captured by renowned recording engineer Betty Cantor-Jackson.
The lineup for the NorCal run featured Garcia on guitar as well as his Grateful Dead bandmates at the time vocalist Donna Jean Godchaux and keyboardist Keith Godchaux. Frequent Garcia collaborators drummer Ron Tutt, who sadly died recently, and bassist John Kahn made up the rhythm section.
Bob McDill and Allen Reynolds originally penned “Catfish John.” The song appeared on McDill’s 1972 album Short Stories and was later a staple cover for Jerry Garcia Band. Hear JGB perform “Catfish John” from UC Davis in 1976 below:
