Jack wears the cloak and scepter of America's folk singer's minstrels, with lineage that goes back through Woody Guthrie and Cisco Houston. Hearing him play, one knows that she/he is listening to the real thing. Bobby Weir Jack has played with Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir at the "Cowboys For Indians" benefit and on Jack's "Friends of Mine" album. Bob Weir also awarded Jack his Bill Graham Lifetime Achievement Award, where the duo again yanked out guitars and began singing. Ramblin' Jack and Jerry Garcia shared the same birthday and became good friends. Jerry Garcia and his bluegrass band "Old & In the Way" would play with Jack. Jack was invited to open for both the Grateful Dead and the Jerry Garcia Band several various times. Between sets in a few 1972 shows, I saw the Dead attempt to keep the crowd entertained by using a juggling act, acrobats, the trained chimp you mentioned, a guy who laid on a bed of nails, and of course, ole Ramblin' Jack Elliott. J Fisher. "Re: Strangest opening act you ever saw" Newsgroup posting. 24 Jan. 2000. rec.music.gdead.