Jerry Garcia's "Wolf" Guitar Sells for $1.9 Million, proceeds go to Southern Poverty Law Center

[Miles Archer]

Jerry Garcia’s infamous “Wolf” guitar hit the auction block at last night's Guernsey's auction in Brooklyn—and its sale will wind up raising more than $3 million for charity.

The guitar was bought by Brian Halligan, CEO of marketing group HubSpot and a lifelong Deadhead.

Halligan paid $1.9 million, which includes the buyer's premium, and his $1.6 million pre-premium bid was matched by an anonymous charity. You can see a photo of Halligan with the guitar at last night's auction right here, courtesy of the BBC.



All the proceeds from the sale will go to Southern Poverty Law Centre (SPLC).

http://www.guitarworld.com/artist-news/jerry-garcias-wolf-guitar-sells-19-million/31238

[leftynyc]

1. Jerry still giving back

I still miss that man - his smile, his music, his humanity.

[underpants]

5. No kidding

[ghostsinthemachine]

8. I miss him but he is here, right now

And everywhere I go, everything I do. I can only think of one guitar with more value, Jimi's Monterey Pop guitar.

[leftynyc]

12. Sigh

It seems you share my love for great guitarists. And you're right - as long as his music lives, so does he.

[treestar]

2. That's awesome

Who made the gift? Jerry's heirs?

[Miles Archer]

6. "The guitar was owned by devoted Deadhead Daniel Pritzker, a philanthropist, musician and...

...film director who bought the instrument in 2002 for $790,000."

http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/jerry-garcias-guitar-heads-auction-fetch-1m-47749237

So no, this was not a direct donation from Jerry's estate.

[treestar]

7. Oh cool, thanks

Note that it appreciates in value over time!

[virtualobserver]

3. In the current environment, we have never needed SPLC more....

I can't think of an organization more deserving of support.

[dixiegrrrrl]

10. Interesting thing about SPLC..

Morris Dees was a millionaire when he formed the Center., in early 1970...71.

"Alabama lawyer and businessman Morris Dees sympathized with the plight of the poor and the powerless. The son of an Alabama farmer, he had witnessed firsthand the devastating consequences of bigotry and racial injustice. Dees decided to sell his successful book publishing business to start a civil rights law practice that would provide a voice for the disenfranchised."

[mhw]

4. Wow. That guitar is sacred.

Its beautiful.

[ghostsinthemachine]

9. The holy Grail of guitars

I hope it gets played. The last owner let people play it, Warren Haynes for his Garcia Symphonic tours, Lebo of ALO (who is a criminally under known guitar player) and others have played it in shows. Hope that tradition continues.

[mhw]

11. + a million. 'Sitting here in limbo'.. J Garcia

Sitting In Limbo was performed over 100 times by various Jerry Garcia groups between 1974 and 1994. The lyrics and music for the song are included in the Jerry Garcia Songbook.

[Le Gaucher]

13. Is that a Paul Reed Smith?

[ghostsinthemachine]

14. No, Doug Irwin

Who built all but one of Jerry's guitars after Wolf. Rosebud, Tiger and another who's name escapes me right now.

Travis Bean built the all white aluminum guitar used circa 77-79.

The story of wolf is that Jerry was playing a strat with that decal on it and one day Irwin, then an unknown luthier, made a copy with that decal inlaid and snuck it on his rack.
Doug had a serious health issue and there was a battle about ownership of the guitars between Doug and the band. Jerry wanted them to go to Irwin, but they were paid for with band money.