Bob Weir: songwriter for the Grateful Dead and steward of their legacy

Bob Weir was a founding member of the Grateful Dead, a principal songwriter and the band’s long-time rhythm guitarist, and later became the chief custodian of the group’s legacy. Known within the band as “the Kid” — he was 16 when the group began — Weir’s rhythm guitar style, built from alternate chords, harmonic pairings and contrapuntal lead lines and influenced by McCoy Tyner, was a core part of the Dead’s sound.

He contributed early tracks such as “Born Cross-Eyed” and the section that became “The Other One”, and in the early 1970s wrote or co-wrote songs including “Jack Straw”, “Looks Like Rain”, “Black Throated Wind”, “The Music Never Stopped”, “Weather Report Suite”, “Playing in the Band”, “Sugar Magnolia”, “One More Saturday Night” and “Estimated Prophet”.

After Jerry Garcia’s death in 1995 Weir endured personal and band turmoil, touring compulsively and struggling with alcohol and a back injury that caused him to collapse onstage in 2013. He later recovered following an exercise regime and a neck operation, helped reunite the surviving members for the Fare Thee Well shows and parlayed friendships into the Day of the Dead tribute curated with Aaron and Bryce Dessner.

Key Topics

Culture, Bob Weir, Grateful Dead, Jerry Garcia, Dead & Company, Fare Thee Well