Bob Weir, the legendary guitarist, vocalist and founding member of the Grateful Dead, has died at the age of 78, his family announced on Saturday.
In a statement shared on the band co-founder’s official Instagram account, Weir’s family said he passed away peacefully while surrounded by loved ones after a long and courageous battle with illness.
“It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of Bobby Weir,” the statement read, accompanied by a photograph of the musician performing on stage. “He transitioned peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, after courageously beating cancer as only Bobby could. Unfortunately, he succumbed to underlying lung issues.”
The family described Weir as far more than a musician, calling him “a guitarist, vocalist, storyteller, and guiding force whose unique artistry reshaped American music.”
“His work did more than fill rooms with music,” the statement continued. “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.”
Weir was diagnosed with cancer in July and began treatment only weeks before returning to his hometown of San Francisco for a three-night celebration marking 60 years of music at Golden Gate Park — a decision the family described as emblematic of his artistic spirit.
“An artist choosing, even then, to keep going by his own design,” the statement said.
The family expressed hope that Weir’s legacy would live on through future generations of devoted fans, affectionately known as “Dead Heads.”
“And so we send him off the way he sent so many of us on our way: with a farewell that isn’t an ending, but a blessing. A reward for a life worth livin’.”
They requested privacy during the mourning period while thanking fans worldwide for the outpouring of love and remembrance.
“May we honor him not only in sorrow, but in how bravely we continue with open hearts, steady steps, and the music leading us home,” the family added.
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Weir’s death marks another profound loss for the Grateful Dead’s original lineup. Fellow founding members Phil Lesh died in 2024, Jerry Garcia in 1995, and Ron “Pigpen” McKernan in 1973. He is survived by percussionist Mickey Hart, 82, and original drummer Bill Kreutzmann, 79.
Born in 1947, Weir was just 16 years old when he met Garcia in a Palo Alto, California, music store — a chance encounter that led to the formation of a band that would become one of the most influential and enduring acts in rock history. Known for their improvisational style and devoted global following, the Grateful Dead helped redefine live performance and countercultural music in the United States and beyond.
Beyond music, Weir was a longtime animal-rights activist and vegetarian. His contributions to American music were formally recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2016 Americana Honors & Awards in Nashville, and his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 as a member of the Grateful Dead.
Weir married Natascha Münter in 1999, and the couple shared two daughters.
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