Led by Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead, the band included three members of the 1964 bluegrass band the Black Mountain Boys — Garcia on guitar and vocals, David Nelson of the New Riders of the Purple Sage on guitar and vocals, and Sandy Rothman on mandolin, dobro, banjo, and vocals — plus long-time Garcia collaborator John Kahn on acoustic bass, Kenny Kosek on fiddle, and David Kemper on snare drum.

On AllMusic, William Rhulmann wrote, "Garcia, Nelson, and Rothman sing in three-part harmony, enthusiastically essaying songs associated with the likes of Riley Puckett, the Stoney Mountain Boys, Charlie Monroe, and Ralph Stanley, among others.... 'Ragged but right' is a good description of the contents.

Grateful Dead fans may take special interest in the version of 'Goodnight Irene,' which is rearranged so differently from familiar renditions that it's practically a different song, at least in terms of the music; it sounds like it could have been on Garcia's first solo album from 1972.

Offering an indication of the looseness of the performance, Garcia jokes to anyone that skipped work for the early show that he's going to call their bosses.

Not only did Jer's family put out a remastered version of 1988's Almost Acoustic, but they also released a fine album of unreleased live material called Ragged but Right which contained the other 14 songs in the JGAB's repertoire lovingly assembled by band member Sandy Rothman.