Bob Weir, the longtime guitarist of the Grateful Dead, has died at 78 years old. In a message shared on the band founder’s Instagram account on Saturday, the family said he died peacefully, with loved ones by his side. “It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of Bobby Weir,” the statement read, accompanied by a photo of the musician onstage.
“He transitioned peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, after courageously beating cancer as only Bobby could. Unfortunately, he succumbed to underlying lung issues.” The heartfelt and elaborate tribute described Weir as a guitarist, singer, storyteller, and founding member of the Grateful Dead, saying he would be remembered as a guiding presence whose one-of-a-kind artistry helped redefine American music.
An Icon Is Dead
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“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,” it continued.
The statement mentioned that Weir was diagnosed with cancer in July and began treatment just weeks before he returned to his hometown stage, where he took part in a three-night celebration marking 60 years of music at Golden Gate Park.
“An artist choosing, even then, to keep going by his own design,” the statement read.
The message ended with the hope that Weir’s legacy will continue to live on, inspiring future generations of 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.'”
“His loving family, Natascha, Monet, and Chloe, request privacy during this difficult time and offer their gratitude for the outpouring of love, support, and remembrance,” the family wrote.
“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. Hang it up and see what tomorrow brings.”
More Than a Star
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Weir’s death follows the deaths of fellow founding members Phil Lesh in 2024, Jerry Garcia in 1995, and Ron “Pigpen” McKernan in 1973. He is survived by percussionist Mickey Hart, now 82, and original drummer Bill Kreutzmann, 79.
An animal rights advocate and longtime vegetarian, Weir was just 16 when he first met Garcia in a Palo Alto music store, where the two began playing together. That chance meeting grew into a band that would eventually include Hart, Kreutzmann, Lesh, and McKernan.
Over his career, Weir received wide recognition for his impact on music, including a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2016 Americana Honors & Awards in Nashville. He was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.
Weir married Natasha Münter in 1999, and together they raised two daughters, who are now grown.
