Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Grateful Dead Co-Founder Bob Weir Dies at 78 After Lung Problems

An official Instagram statement cited lung problems, recalling a lifetime of touring that helped shape American music.

Overview

  • His death was announced on his Instagram account, which said he died peacefully surrounded by loved ones after previously beating cancer.
  • Weir joined the band in 1965 in San Francisco at age 17 when it was still called the Warlocks.
  • He wrote and sang on staples such as Sugar Magnolia, One More Saturday Night, and Mexicali Blues.
  • In later years he performed with successor projects including Dead & Company, and the band marked its 60th anniversary with July concerts in Golden Gate Park.
  • With his passing, drummer Bill Kreutzmann is the only surviving original member; founding bassist Phil Lesh died in 2024.