Grateful Dead Co‑Founder Bob Weir Dies at 78

Bob Weir, the guitarist, singer and founding member of the Grateful Dead, has died at the age of seventy eight. His family announced the news in a statement on his Instagram page, saying he passed away peacefully while surrounded by loved ones. They noted that although he had beaten cancer, he ultimately succumbed to underlying lung complications.

Weir joined the band in 1965 when it was still known as the Warlocks, becoming a central creative force from the age of seventeen. The statement described him as a guitarist, vocalist and storyteller whose influence helped reshape American music over more than six decades on the road.

His death leaves drummer Bill Kreutzmann as the only surviving original member of the legendary group. Founding bassist Phil Lesh died in 2024.

Dead and Company recently marked the band’s sixtieth anniversary with a series of concerts in July at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, a celebration now carrying even deeper meaning for fans.