Studying Time: 3 minutes
We’ve tragic information to report from the world of music in the present day.
Rock legend Bob Weir — a founding member of the Grateful Useless — has handed away.
He was 78 years previous.
Information of Weir’s demise comes courtesy of a social media publish from his household, who revealed that he had been battling most cancers and “lung points” for the previous yr.
“It’s with profound unhappiness that we share the passing of Bobby Weir,” the assertion learn.
“He transitioned peacefully, surrounded by family members, after courageously beating most cancers as solely Bobby might. Sadly, he succumbed to underlying lung points.”
The household went on to disclose that Weir continued doing what he cherished till his last days.
“Bobby’s last months mirrored the identical spirit that outlined his life. Recognized in July, he started therapy solely weeks earlier than returning to his hometown stage for a three-night celebration of 60 years of music at Golden Gate Park,” the assertion countinued.
“These performances, emotional, soulful, and full of sunshine, weren’t farewells, however items. One other act of resilience. An artist selecting, even then, to maintain going by his personal design.
“As we keep in mind Bobby, it’s onerous to not really feel the echo of the way in which he lived. A person driftin’ and dreamin’, by no means worrying if the highway would lead him house. A toddler of numerous bushes. A toddler of boundless seas.”
Born in San Francisco in 1947, Weir befriended future bandmate Jerry Garcia after they met at a Palo Alto instrument retailer on New 12 months’s Eve of 1963.
Collectively, the 2 would kind one of the vital influential bands in music historical past, basically founding the style of psychedelic rock.
The Useless went on to tour for many years, even after Garcia’s demise in 1995.
Whereas the lineup modified incessantly — and included many Useless fans-turned-collaborators, like John Mayer — Weir remained a staple.
Along with his work with the Useless, Weir based a number of different teams, together with the Bob Weir Band, Bobby and the Midnites, RatDog, and Furthur, which he co-led with former Grateful Useless bassist Phil Lesh, who handed away in 2024.
Information of Weir’s passing made him an immediate trending subject throughout social media, as hundreds of thousands of followers rushed to pay tribute.
Our ideas exit to Bob Weir’s family members throughout this troublesome time.
