Bob Weir, Grateful Dead Co‑Founder, Dies at 78

Bob Weir, the Grateful Dead’s guitarist, singer and founding member, died on 11 January 2026 at age 78. A San Francisco native born in 1947, he met Jerry Garcia in 1964 and joined the fledgling band that became the Grateful Dead. Diagnosed with cancer in July 2025, his death was attributed to underlying lung issues. Weir penned classics such as “Sugar Magnolia,” “Playing In The Band,” and “Jack Straw,” and sang the verses of the anthem “Truckin’.” After Garcia’s 1995 death, he launched a solo career with RatDog and formed Dead & Company in 2015. His passing leaves drummer Bill Kreutzmann as the only surviving original member; bassist Phil Lesh died in 2024.