Grateful Dead's Bob Weir Dead at 78

"Grateful Dead founding member Bob Weir has died. Weir played rhythm guitar and sang lead vocals for the entirety of the Grateful Dead's 30-year tenure. He also founded and played in several bands during and after his time with the Dead, including Kingfish, the Bob Weir Band, Bobby and the Midnites, Scaring the Children, RatDog, and Furthur. After the Grateful Dead disbanded in 1995, Weir performed with other former members of the band in a group called the Other Ones, later known as the Dead. Weir recently continued playing with Grateful Dead members Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann, along with John Mayer, in an outfit called Dead & Company."

"It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of Bobby Weir, Weir's daughter Chloe wrote in a statement on Instagram. He transitioned peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, after courageously beating cancer as only Bobby could. Unfortunately, he succumbed to underlying lung issues."

"final months reflected the same spirit that defined his life. Diagnosed in July, he began treatment only weeks before returning to his hometown stage for a three-night celebration of 60 years of music at Golden Gate Park. Those performances, emotional, soulful, and full of light, were not farewells, but gifts. Another act of resilience."

Bob Weir, founding rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist of the Grateful Dead, died after beating cancer but succumbing to underlying lung issues. He performed with the Grateful Dead for the group's entire 30-year tenure and founded or played with Kingfish, the Bob Weir Band, Bobby and the Midnites, Scaring the Children, RatDog, and Furthur. After the Dead disbanded in 1995 he performed with former members in the Other Ones and the Dead, and recently with Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, and John Mayer in Dead & Company. Chloe Weir said he transitioned peacefully after a July diagnosis and treatment shortly before a three-night Golden Gate Park celebration marking 60 years of music. He was born in San Francisco, raised in Atherton, learned piano and trumpet, and took up guitar at 13.

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