Bob Weir, guitarist and founder of the mythical band Grateful Dead, died

American guitarist Bob Weir, one of the founders of the psychedelic rock band Grateful Dead, died at the age of 78, his family announced this Saturday. Born in the 1960s, Grateful Dead is one of the most emblematic groups of the counterculture that stood out for incorporating elements of blues, country, and jazz into their music. “He passed away peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, after bravely battling cancer as only Bobby could. Sadly, he succumbed to underlying lung problems,” the family indicated in a statement published on his personal website and Instagram account. The place and date of his death were not specified.

His cancer had been diagnosed last July and despite the treatment, Weir celebrated his 60th career anniversary the following month with three consecutive concerts in his hometown of San Francisco.

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Grateful Dead was founded in the midst of a cultural hotbed in that Californian city by Bob Weir along with Jerry Garcia, Bill Kreutzmann, Ron McKernan and Phil Lesh. More than for their hits like “Truckin” or “Casey Jones”, it was their concerts, always original, that consolidated their reputation. Their fans are known as “Deadheads”. Several of those followers later became great personalities, such as the late Apple founder, Steve Jobs, or former U.S. Vice President Al Gore.

“For over 60 years, Bobby roamed the roads. Guitarist, singer, storyteller, and founding member of Grateful Dead, Bobby will forever remain an iconic figure whose unique artistic talent revolutionized American music,” said his family. Grateful Dead became the first Western rock band to perform at the foot of the pyramids of Egypt in the late 1970s. In 1994, the group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

However, the band dissolved a year later, in 1995, following the death of lead guitarist Jerry Garcia.

You may be interested in: The Grateful Dead, however, regularly reunited for concerts. Just a few weeks after a farewell tour in 2015, some members of the group, including Bob Weir, announced their return under the name “Dead and Company.” Bill Kreutzmann, 79, is now the only living founder of Grateful Dead. Bassist  Phil Lesh passed away in 2024 at the age of 84 while Ron McKernan, who suffered from health problems and alcohol addiction, died in 1973 at the age of 27.