Overview
- Mayer told Andy Cohen on SiriusXM that his recent remarks about stepping back reflect a period of grieving after Bob Weir’s death and are not a permanent renunciation of the music.
- He said he needs to “hang it up” for now so he can mourn, added that he does not have a plan for returning, and declined to think about concrete next steps.
- An earlier interview with USA Today in late August, in which Mayer said he had “gone back to my corner,” prompted fan speculation that he was leaving Dead & Company.
- Bob Weir died on January 10, 2026, and Mayer’s pause follows months of mourning within the Grateful Dead community and questions about how the group will move forward.
- Mayer spent a decade with Dead & Company and helped bring the Grateful Dead catalog to new audiences, so his indefinite break leaves the band’s future open while giving fans cautious hope for a possible return.