My Sisters and Brothers

The concert performed by Jerry Garcia Band at Merriweather Post Pavilion in September 1989 may be one of their greatest live performances of all time. A seamless blend of rock, reggae, R&B and gospel, the show spanned two days and covered songs like Charles Johnson’s “My Sisters and Brothers.” These are the moments, and the songs, that inspire us at McMenamins – and they inspired much of the Cove at Kalama Harbor Lodge.

From artist Myrna Yoder:
It was an interesting challenge to paint two panels that would hang together to represent the same song, and I chose to depict a sunset over the Columbia River as seen from Kalama Harbor Lodge. Since this is a Jerry Garcia Band song, the sunset is inspired by the tie-dyed backdrop that was often used on stage. The landscape extends across both panels with the figures floating above the river on both.
 
The characters are mostly members from the band: the organist, Melvin Seals, two backup singers, Gloria Jones and Jacklyn LaBranch, and Jerry Garcia himself. The last “member” is an honorary one: Frankie Baker, shown here as Ruby. Baker was a resident at Edgefield who was awarded the first ever Lifetime Membership Award by the Urban League. She is a favorite of mine from our local history, and I liked the idea of connecting her to Kalama, across the river from her home at Edgefield.
 
The song gave me the sense of all of us needing to hang on to one another. I tried to convey that sense of connectivity and community, while infusing it with the magical and mystical.
 
Fun fact: It seems like I would have painted Jerry Garcia sometime in the last 32 years, but I can’t think when. This might actually be the first time!

My Sisters and Brothers

Music and lyrics by Charles Johnson
Lyrics as performed by Jerry Garcia Band live at Merriweather Post Pavilion, Sept. 1989: 
 
I want to say to my sisters and my brothers 
Keep the faith 
When the storm flies and the wind blows  
Go on at a steady pace  
When the battle is fought and the victory's won 
We can all shout together, we have overcome 
We'll talk to the Father and the Son 
When we make it to the promised land 
 
If we walk together, little children 
We won't ever have to worry 
Through this world of trouble 
We've got to love one another 
Let us take our fellow man by the hand 
Try to help him to understand 
We can all be together 
For ever and ever 
When we make it to the promised land 
 
Our bible reads 
Thou shalt not be afraid 
Of the terror by night 
Nor the arrow that flies by day 
Nor for the pestilence 
That walketh in the darkness 
Nor for the destruction 
That waiteth in the noonday hour 
 
This world is not our home 
We're only passing through 
Our trail is all made up 
Way beyond the blue 
Let us do the very best that we can 
While we're travelin' through this land 
We can all be together, shaking a hand 
When we make it to the promised land 
 
If we walk together, little children 
We won't ever have to worry 
Through this world of trouble 
We've got to love one another 
Let us take our fellow man by the hand 
Try to help him to understand 
We can all be together 
Forever and ever 
When we make it to the promised land  
 
When we make it to the promised land 
When we make it to the promised land 
Make it to the promised land, sisters 
Make it to the promised land, little children 
Make it to the promised land