Bob Weir, Grateful Dead founding member, dies at 78

Bob Weir, the guitarist and founding member of the Grateful Dead whose idiosyncratic style and decades of relentless touring helped define American counter-culture, has died at the age of 78.

His family confirmed the news on Saturday, stating that the musician passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones. While the statement noted that Weir had successfully undergone treatment for cancer following a diagnosis in July, he ultimately succumbed to underlying lung complications.

The news marks the end of an era for one of rock music's most enduring legacies. In 1965, Weir co-founded the Grateful Dead in Palo Alto, California, alongside Jerry Garcia, Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, Phil Lesh, and Bill Kreutzmann. Over the subsequent sixty years, he became the band's most prolific road warrior, known for a complex, jazz-influenced approach to the guitar that provided the structural backbone for the group's legendary improvisational performances.

"Bobby will forever be a guiding force whose unique artistry reshaped American music," his family said in a joint statement. "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."

Despite ongoing health struggles, Weir continued performing until his final months. After starting treatment over the summer, he returned to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park for a three-night run marking six decades of his musical career. At the time, officials and fans described the shows as deeply emotional, soulful and radiant, unaware of the full extent of his illness.

The legendary guitarist was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 as a member of the Grateful Dead and received the Kennedy Center Honours with the band in 2024, during the final year of President Joe Biden’s administration.

Weir had become a bridge between the Grateful Dead’s 1960s origins and a new generation of listeners. He frequently spoke of a "three-hundred-year legacy," expressing a commitment to ensuring the band’s vast songbook would be preserved and performed by future generations.

The guitarist is survived by his wife, Natascha, and his daughters, Monet and Chloe. The family has requested privacy as they navigate the loss, while thanking the public for an "outpouring of love, support, and remembrance" from the global "Dead Head" community.