Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir has died at the age of 78.
A family statement posted to the band’s founding member’s Instagram account on Saturday said he died “surrounded by his loved ones.”
“It is with deep sadness that we mourn the passing of Bobby Weir,” the statement read, along with a photo of the musician on stage.
“After overcoming cancer with the courage that only Bobby could, he made a peaceful transition surrounded by his loved ones. Unfortunately, he succumbed to underlying lung conditions.”
A lengthy statement called Weir a “guitarist, vocalist, storyteller, and founding member of the Grateful Dead,” and said his “unique artistry will remain an eternal leader in reshaping American music.”
“His work didn’t just fill a room with music; it was a warm ray of sunshine that filled the soul and built a sense of community, language, and family that has lasted for generations of fans.”
The statement said Weir was diagnosed with cancer in July and began treatment “just weeks before returning to our hometown stage for three nights of 60 Years of Music in Golden Gate Park.”
“The artist has nevertheless chosen to proceed with his design,” the statement reads.
The statement concludes with the hope that Weir’s legacy will “live on through future generations of Dead Heads.”
“And we send him off just as he sent so many of us off. We bid farewell that is not an end, but a blessing. A reward for a life worth living.”
“His loving family, Natasha, Monet and Chloe, request privacy at this difficult time and would like to express their gratitude for the outpouring of love, support and condolences,” the family wrote.
“May we honor him not only with sadness, but with the courage to keep our hearts open and steady, and let the music guide us home. Let’s make a call and see what tomorrow brings.”
A rep for the band did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.
Weir’s death follows the deaths of founding member Phil Lesh in 2024, Jerry Garcia in 1995, and Ron “Pigpen” McKernan in 1973. Weir leaves behind percussionist Mickey Hart, 82, and original drummer Bill Kreutzmann, 79.
The animal rights activist and vegetarian met Garcia at the age of 16 at a music store in Palo Alto, California, and they played together, eventually forming a group that included Hart, Kreutzmann, Resch, and McKernan.
He received the 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2016 Americana Honors & Awards in Nashville and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.
Weir married Natasha Münter in 1999, and the two have two adult daughters.
