The rock musician was 78 years old.
The guitarist and founder of the legendary band Grateful Dead has died. He was 78 years old, reports TMZ.
Weir died of an underlying lung disease, after he had been ill with cancer. This is confirmed in a statement on his official Instagram account.
The musician was diagnosed with cancer this summer, shortly before he was to perform in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. There, the band played three concerts to celebrate the Grateful Dead’s 60th anniversary.
At just 16 years old, Weir followed the sound of a banjo into a music store in Palo Alto, California. There he found Jerry Garcia playing the instrument. The two played music together all night and decided to form what would later become the Grateful Dead.
Along with the late Jerry Garcia, Weir was one of the band’s two frontmen and lead vocalists throughout most of the Grateful Dead’s history. Garcia died in 1995, aged just 53.
It was Weir who sang the verses on the band’s signature song “Truckin'”, and he wrote key songs such as “Sugar Magnolia“, “Playing in the Band” and “Jack Straw”.
The young “Bobby” with a ponytail developed into an eclectic songwriter. His appearance and diverse musical influences helped broaden the band’s appeal. The British newspaper The Independent called Weir “arguably rock’s greatest, if most eccentric, rhythm guitarist”.
After Garcia’s death, Weir forged an interesting solo career, much of it with the band RatDog. He also participated in reunions of surviving Dead members in various constellations.
The Grateful Dead released 13 studio albums and played sold-out concerts around the world for their dedicated fans, called “Deadheads”.
The band disbanded in 1995 after Garcia’s death, but Weir continued to play with other groups made up of former Grateful Dead members.
Weir is survived by his wife Natascha Münter and their two children, Monet and Chloe.
