Leader Peter Albin, a country-blues guitarist who had played with future Grateful Dead founders Jerry Garcia and Ron McKernan, met Sam Andrew, a professional rock guitarist with a jazz and classical background. After playing together at Albin's home,Andrew suggested they form a band. The pair approached guitarist James Gurley, the resulting threesome playing open jam sessions hosted by entrepreneur Chet Helms
in 1965. Helms found them a drummer, Chuck Jones, and Big Brother and
the Holding Company was formed at their first gig, the Trips Festival in
January 1966. In the audience was painter and jazz drummer David Getz, who soon displaced Jones.
