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Bob Weir, Grateful Dead Co-Founder, Dies at 78

His final performances came in August at Golden Gate Park during the band’s 60th‑anniversary celebration.

Overview

  • Weir’s family said he transitioned peacefully after overcoming cancer but later succumbed to underlying lung issues.
  • Diagnosed in July 2025, he began treatment weeks before returning to the stage with Dead & Company in San Francisco.
  • A 1965 co-founder with Jerry Garcia, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann and Ron “Pigpen” McKernan, Weir helped define the Dead’s improvisational sound as a vocalist, songwriter and rhythm guitarist.
  • His death leaves drummer Bill Kreutzmann as the last surviving founding member of the Grateful Dead.
  • He is survived by his wife, Natascha, and daughters Monet and Chloe, as tributes highlight a legacy that includes Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction in 1994 and Kennedy Center recognition in 2024.