American guitarist Bob Weir, founder of the legendary American psychedelic rock band Grateful Dead, has died at the age of 78. His family announced this via Instagram, international news agencies report.
Weir was diagnosed with cancer last July. Despite that diagnosis, he celebrated his 60th anniversary on stage the following month with three consecutive concerts in his hometown of San Francisco.
He died “from underlying lung problems” surrounded by loved ones, the statement said. The place and date of his death were not mentioned.
Psychedelic rock band
The Grateful Dead was one of the leading bands of the counterculture that emerged in the 1960s. The psychedelic rock band, which combined elements of blues, country and jazz, was known for its improvisations. The group amassed a large fan base known as the ‘Deadheads’.
Along with co-founder and lead guitarist Jerry Garcia, Weir was one of the two frontmen and main vocalists for most of the band’s history.
The group amassed a large fan base known as the ‘Deadheads’
The group scored a hit with the song ‘Touch of Grey’. Weir sang the verses of the band’s signature boogie anthem, “Truckin,” and wrote key songs such as “Sugar Magnolia,” “Playing in the Band” and “Jack Straw.”
Garcia died in 1995 at the age of 53. Weir then pursued a solo career, largely with his band RatDog. He also participated in reunions of the remaining members of the Grateful Dead, in various formations. In 2015, the remaining members embarked on a farewell tour, announcing their return a few weeks later under the name “Dead and Company”.
The British newspaper The Independent called Weir “perhaps rock music’s greatest, if most eccentric, rhythm guitarist.”
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