AI Company Gets Approval Of Using Jerry Garcia’s Voice

The voice of the late Grateful Dead icon, Jerry Garcia, is back—this time through AI. Thanks to a partnership between Garcia’s estate and AI voice company ElevenLabs, fans will soon be able to hear his voice reading audiobooks, articles, and more. With the ElevenReader app, Garcia’s recreated voice can read in over 32 languages, covering everything from e-books and poetry to fan stories and PDFs.

Keelin Garcia, Jerry’s daughter and co-founder of the Jerry Garcia Foundation, shared her thoughts on the project, telling Billboard, “My father was a pioneering artist, who embraced innovative audio and visual technologies… When we traveled on a concert tour, we played on Game Boy. At home, we’d have fun playing on the Macintosh in the studio where my father created his first digital art, and housed his MIDI guitar.” She added:

“Now, as technological landscapes continue to expand, ElevenLabs AI Audio technology will offer fans the first opportunity to hear and stream a replica of my father’s voice reading their favorite books and other written content.”

AI Voices in Arts and Entertainment

Jerry Garcia’s AI voice will be featured not just in the app but in various projects by the Jerry Garcia Foundation, including narrated documentaries and art exhibits. This project adds Garcia to a growing list of AI-generated voices of late icons, allowing fans a unique way to reconnect with familiar sounds from the past. ElevenLabs is also using this technology to bring back other beloved voices, including Judy Garland, John Wayne, Burt Reynolds, and Dr. Maya Angelou, to name a few.

Growing Trend of AI and Legacy Preservation

Using AI to recreate late celebrities’ voices has become a trend in the entertainment industry. AI recently helped complete The Beatles’ final song, “Now and Then,” which has garnered two Grammy nominations. ElevenLabs, a key player in this voice modeling movement, believes in the cultural impact of their work. “By bringing voices like Jerry Garcia to our platform, we’re not just enhancing our app – we’re creating new ways for people to experience content,” said Dustin Blank, ElevenLabs’ Head of Partnerships. “This project has been a labor of love… it’s a beautiful thing to bring his sound to life again for both longtime fans and a new generation of listeners.” Bringing Jerry Garcia’s voice back to life through AI offers a heartfelt new experience for Deadheads and new fans alike.