Watch: Al Di Meola Tests Jerry Garcia’s “Tiger” Guitar, Dickey Betts’ Fillmore-Played 1958 Les Paul and Trey Anastasio’s 1991 Paul Languedoc
Photo Credit: Screenshot via Al Di Meola on Facebook
Artful six-string innovator Al Di Meola has been testing out some famous axes. In a series of posts shared on social media, the musician known for his fast fingerwork appeared in Family Guitar-generated teasers, playing acclaimed instruments: Jerry Garcia’s Doug Irwin crafted “Tiger,” Dickey Betts’ Fillmore-played 1958 Les Paul, and Trey Anastasio’s 1991 Paul Languedoc plugged into Garcia’s 1975 Mesa Boogie Mark I amp after visiting Family Guitar Headquarters in Chicago.
Previously, on May 3, Meola appeared on stage at Park West in Chicago, where he welcomed Josh Olken from the Grateful Dead cover band Terrapin Flyers. During the live team-up, Meola and Olken extemporized “Uncle John’s Band” on Garcia’s former axe. In a clip shared by the musician following the onstage moment, he shared a clip from soundcheck and wrote about the achievement, saying:
“I never got to meet Jerry Garcia, but I later heard he mentioned me as one of his favorite guitar players. I couldn’t believe it, honestly. When I was 15, my friends and I would skip school, take the bus into the city, and see the Grateful Dead at the Fillmore East. Some of my best memories! That era was magical! Last night in Chicago, I had the chance to play Jerry’s famous ‘Tiger.’ It was emotional in a way I didn’t expect. This is a close-up from soundcheck, just getting a feel for it. And there it was… the Jerry tone.”
Yesterday, Meola followed up on social media after his experience playing Tiger and his visit to Family Guitar headquarters. In a post [see below], the musician strummed Dickey Betts’ Fillmore played 1958 Les Paul and wrote:
“When @family_guitars brought over Jerry’s Tiger the other night, I thought that was the moment. I was wrong. Yesterday I walked into their headquarters and suddenly they handed me the 1958 Les Paul that Dickey Betts played at the Fillmore—the very shows that became ‘Allman Brothers – Live At Fillmore East.’ I was there when they recorded it. A 15-year-old kid, in absolute awe. That album never left me. And yesterday… I got to play that same guitar.”
As a capstone, Family Guitars shared a video of Meola playing Trey Anastasio’s 1991 Paul Languedoc “I’m the Mar Mar” through Jerry Garcia’s 1975 Mesa Boogie Mark I amp. Watch the aforementioned video clips below.
