Rock legend Bob Weir has died at the age of 78 after ‘succumbing to underlying lung issues’.
The American musician was a founding member of the band Grateful Dead, who were known for their eclectic style and penchant for improvising.
The group, who are recognised in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, disbanded in 1995 after the death of singer Jerry Garcia.
Despite no longer touring as the Grateful Dead, the musicians continued to play together in various bands over the years.
In a statement on his Instagram, Weir’s family wrote: ‘It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of Bobby Weir. He transitioned peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, after courageously beating cancer as only Bobby could.
‘Unfortunately, he succumbed to underlying lung issues.’
He was diagnosed with cancer last summer, weeks before a series of headline shows at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco to celebrate the band’s 60th anniversary.
His family described Weir as a ‘storyteller’, praising his ‘unique artistry [which] reshaped American music’.
They continued: ‘His work did more than fill rooms with music; it was warm sunlight that filled the soul, building a community, a language, and a feeling of family that generations of fans carry with them. Every chord he played, every word he sang was an integral part of the stories he wove. There was an invitation: to feel, to question, to wander, and to belong.
‘Bobby’s final months reflected the same spirit that defined his life. Diagnosed in July, he began treatment only weeks before returning to his hometown stage for a three-night celebration of 60 years of music at Golden Gate Park.
‘Those performances, emotional, soulful, and full of light, were not farewells, but gifts. Another act of resilience. An artist choosing, even then, to keep going by his own design.
‘As we remember Bobby, it’s hard not to feel the echo of the way he lived. A man driftin’ and dreamin’, never worrying if the road would lead him home. A child of countless trees. A child of boundless seas.’
Weir founded the band alongside Jerry Garcia (lead guitar and vocals), Phil Lesh (bass guitar), Ron ‘Pigpen’ McKernan (keyboards, harmonica, and vocals), and Bill Kreutzmann (drums) in 1965 in San Francisco.
With the exception of McKernan, who died in 1973, and Hart, who left the band from 1971 to 1974, the founding members of the band remained together throughout their entire career.
Garcia’s death in 1995 put an end to the Grateful Dead, but the surviving members continued to perform for years afterwards in various iterations.
Most recently, Weir, Kreutmann and Mickey Hart teamed up with John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge and Jeff Chimenti for Dead & Company, playing Grateful Dead songs.
They had a residency at the Las Vegas Sphere in 2024 with 30 shows, returning last year for a further 18 gigs.
‘Deadheads’ are among the most famous fanbases in the history of music, making the band one of the most profitable touring acts of all time.
Weir’s family added that there is ‘no final curtain here’ but shared that Weir had wanted a ‘three hundred year legacy’ for his music.
‘May that dream live on through future generations of Dead Heads. And so we send him off the way he sent so many of us on our way: with a farewell that isn’t an ending, but a blessing. A reward for a life worth livin’.’
Weir is survived by his wife Natascha and two daughters, Monet and Chloe, who have requested privacy at this ‘difficult time’.
The post concluded: ‘May we honor him not only in sorrow, but in how bravely we continue with open hearts, steady steps, and the music leading us home. Hang it up and see what tomorrow brings.’
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