Meet Bella Rayne, the 16-year-old who jumped from Mom’s Strat to Jerry Garcia’s ‘Gator

Few 16-year-old guitarists can claim they’ve held a guitar once owned by Jerry Garcia, let alone played one. But Bella Rayne can.

Given that the Grateful Dead called the San Francisco Bay Area home, local resident Rayne’s infatuation with the band shouldn’t be a surprise. But her interest in picking up guitar in the first place came from a decidedly un-jam-band-like place.

“It started with ‘90s Seattle grunge bands,” she explains. “Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready is and will always be one of my favorites – and the one who inspired me to learn how to play.”

How did Garcia and his band of merry jamming men enter the chat?

“As I explore different genres, I find I’m inspired in different ways by different people every day,” she says. “I’m only 16 and still trying to figure out who I am as an artist and a person, so I’m constantly searching for music and musicians I can relate to.

“I love everything from punk and grunge to Southern rock and jam bands. It’s really cool being young because there are so many amazing guitarists and genres I’m still discovering.

“I’m really inspired by female guitarists like Bonnie Raitt and Susan Tedeschi for their amazing skills and unique styles, and their perseverance to make waves in a male-dominated industry.”

Influences are one thing, and to be sure, Rayne has passion in spades. But there’s the matter of being self-taught.

“One day during quarantine, I was super bored and looking around my garage for something to do when I noticed a guitar case covered in stickers,” she recalls.

“It looked pretty cool, so I opened it and found my mom’s ‘90s Strat that she had when she was about my age. I had been listening to a lot of ‘90s grunge music, so I was like, ‘Hey, it might be cool to fix this thing up and see if I can learn how to play it.’

“I figured out how to change the strings; and before long, I was learning songs – thanks to YouTube. It honestly came pretty easy for me. I fell in love and I’ve never stopped since; and I’ve never taken formal lessons.”

Jumping from Mom’s Strat in the garage to wielding Jerry Garcia’s Strat on stage is a mighty big jump. Rayne agrees:

“I was recently invited to an International Women’s Day show in Berkeley, featuring The China Dolls – an all-women, all-star tribute that celebrated women through the music of the Grateful Dead.

“I got to go on stage with a lineup of female musicians who are big names in the Grateful Dead Music community. I knew ahead of time that Jerry’s Fender Alligator would be there, along with Bob Weir’s Modulus Blackknife, courtesy of Grateful Guitars Foundation. I had no idea I would be actually playing them!”

As soon as she had Garcia’s guitar, she says, its nuances bubbled to the surface. “It's hard to explain, but the first thing I noticed was that it really did sound like Jerry. If you know the Grateful Dead, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

“I’m not sure if the guitar itself was special, or the fact that it was his – but I swear that guitar plays itself. 'Gator definitely checks off all the classic Strat boxes: you get that old-school ‘50s feel, but with a crazy vibe and a big Garcia voice. I can only imagine the stories Alligator could tell, and now I have a few of my own.”

She adds: “Fun fact: the first performance of Brown Eyed Women was performed on Alligator. And that’s the song I got to play on ‘Gator too, which made the moment even more special.”

With her continued interest in grunge, is Bella Rayne a post-performance Deadhead? “My parents are Deadheads, so even though I never actually saw Jerry Garcia play on a stage, he was always playing in the background as part of the soundtrack of my life,” she reports.

“But that was my parents music – so naturally, I wanted nothing to do with it! If you’d asked me a few years ago, I’d have sworn I’d never like and definitely wouldn’t want to play the Grateful Dead. Over time I’ve come to really love and appreciate it.

“A big part of it is that it felt surreal yet vivid. Who’d have ever thought that a 16-year-old girl like me could suddenly have this crazy connection with Jerry Garcia?”

Of course, Rayne faces more challenges ahead – but the way she’s dealt with past ones offers hope. “The biggest challenge as a young female player is not being taken seriously,” she says. “I feel like I’m being judged before I ever plug in my guitar, and there’s this higher expectation for younger players to prove themselves – especially girls.”

But she adds: “It’s not necessarily bad, because it pushes me and drives me to reach new heights. I overcome all that by playing my heart out with authenticity and passion every time I’m on a stage.”

Explaining that she considers herself “a heart-led person,” she continues: “I hope to attend Berklee College of Music after I graduate next year, so I’m sure lessons and theory are in my future. But right now, I.m just focused on learning from those around me and developing my own unique style.

“If I could give advice to the young musicians out there – especially the girls – it would be: stop worrying about other people. Do what you want, like what you do, meet new people, and play with everyone you can. Don't let anyone else’s ideas change who you are, and remember to let things happen as they’re happening.”

She concludes, “I’m slowly reaching the point of accepting my own advice – but it’s been a long road, and I still have lots of work to do.”

• Find out more at Rayne’s website.