Bob Weir, Grateful Dead Co-Founder and Enduring Figure of American Rock, Dies at 78

The music world has lost one of its longest-running figures from the American rock era.

Bob Weir has died at 78, according to a statement shared by his family. The cause was pulmonary complications following cancer. The diagnosis was made last summer.

Weir spent more than six decades on stage and remained active until the final months of his life. Only weeks after starting treatment, he returned to perform three nights in San Francisco. The shows marked a 60-year milestone in his career. His family described those appearances as an extension of how he lived and worked, staying engaged with music for as long as possible.

His path began unusually early. At 16, he met Jerry Garcia in a Palo Alto music shop. That meeting led to the formation of the Grateful Dead, later joined by Ron Pigpen McKernan, Phil Lesh, and Bill Kreutzmann. The group became known for long improvisations and a touring culture that reshaped live rock music.

Beyond the band itself, Weir helped normalize the idea that rock artists could age publicly without stepping away. His career stands as a rare example of longevity in a genre often tied to youth.