Phil Lesh, co-founder and bassist of the Grateful Dead, dies at 84

Phil Lesh, one of the founders of the rock band Grateful Dead, has died. He was 84.

“Phil Lesh, bassist and founding member of the Grateful Dead, passed away peacefully this morning,” the announcement reads. posted on the late musician’s Instagram Friday reading.

“He was surrounded by his family and full of love.”

The post, which featured a photo of Lesh playing his bass guitar on stage, praised him for bringing “immense joy to everyone around him and leaving behind a legacy of music and love.”

It concludes: “We ask that you respect the privacy of the Loesch family at this time.”

An official cause of death has not been released at this time, and his rep did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.

However, in 2015, Lesh said that he diagnosed with bladder cancer.

He said via Facebook message at the time, he felt “very lucky” as his pathology reports showed that his tumors were “non-aggressive” and that there was no sign that the cancer had spread.

The “Terrapin Station” rocker revealed that he spent two weeks recovering at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona, and will eventually undergo surgery to remove the tumors.

Following the announcement of Lesh’s death, several friends and fans posted tributes online.

One person commented on Instagram: “Thanks Phil. Say hi to Jerry for me ,” referring to the late Grateful Dead guitarist and vocalist Jerry Garcia, who died of a heart attack in 1995.

Journalist Ron Lieber added: “The prankster, the prankster, the thunderbomb thrower, the rainmaker, the headband-wearing box builder, the tie-dye rocker, the weaver of chains, broken and whole, is already on the four winds and probably safely at home.” His memory is a blessing.”

Lesh co-founded the Grateful Dead in 1965 with Garcia, vocalist and guitarist Ron “Pigpen” McKernan, keyboardist and harmonica player Bob Weir and drummer Bill Kreutzmann.

The group was known for introducing elements of rock, blues, jazz, folk, psychedelia and other genres into their music. Their devoted fandom is known as “Death’s Heads”.

After Garcia’s death, other versions of the group were formed, including Dead & Company. just played our last concert in July 2023.

However, Lesh was not part of this group and instead toured with Phil Lesh and friends along with a rotating group of musicians from 1998 to 2000. He also played with the Phil Lesh Quartet from 2000 to 2003.

In 1994, Lesh and the other members of the Grateful Dead were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.