Bob Weir, Grateful Dead Founding Member, Dies at 78

Bob Weir, a founding member of the Grateful Dead whose death at 78 was announced on Saturday, was a grounding force in the band that became a psychedelic institution.

As the Dead’s rhythm guitarist he could act as an anchor or a provocateur, nudging between Jerry Garcia’s lead lines and Phil Lesh’s bass. He had writing credits on live favorites such as “Sugar Magnolia,” sang lead on “Truckin’” and harmonized with Garcia on the oft-quoted line “What a long, strange trip it’s been.”

The band formed in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1965 and became closely associated with the city’s 1960s psychedelic scene. The Dead were known for improvisation and for the devoted fans called Deadheads; Weir was the group’s youngest member, joining at 17.

Weir also played in several projects beyond the Dead, including the Bob Weir Band, RatDog and later Dead & Company. The Dead backed Bob Dylan on a six-concert tour in 1987, scored a Top 10 hit with “Touch of Grey” (No. 9 on Billboard) and were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1994; they were celebrated at the Kennedy Center Honors in 2024.

The Times piece presents a photographic retrospective of Weir’s career and notes he performed with Dead & Company on what was billed as the band’s final tour in 2023; the article does not provide further details about survivors or the cause of death.

Key Topics

Culture, Bob Weir, Grateful Dead, Dead & Company, San Francisco, Deadheads