Career
Over the next years he joined a few different bands in San Francisco and became good at playing other keyboards, particularly the electric organ, which he would play for the majority of his musical career. He went on to record and perform with artists such as Charlie Daniels, Elvin Bishop and Chuck Berry. In 1980 Melvin Seals joined the Jerry Garcia Band and remained a member until Jerry Garcia"s death in 1995.
He had the third-longest tenure in the band next to Garcia and bassist John Kahn, who had been members for the band"s entire history.
After Garcia and Kahn"s deaths in 1995 and 1996 respectively, Seals formed JGB which he performs with to this day. JGB is essentially the Jerry Garcia band without Jerry and aims to continue the group"s legacy.
Other projects Seals has been involved in include The Mix with guitarist John Kadlecik and bassist Kevin Rosen and Steve Kimock"s Crazy Engine with Steve Kimock. On July 30, 2004, Seals was the first Jerry Garcia Band member to headline an outdoor music and camping festival named in honor of Jerry Garcia, called Grateful Garcia Gathering.
Melvin Seals and JGB members that year included Stu Allen and John Kadlecik.
Jerry Garcia Band drummer David Kemper joined Melvin Seals & JGB in 2007. In 2005 Seals released his first solo Civil Defense entitled Melting Pot. This will mark Seals" first collaboration with Philosophy Lesh.
