Grateful Dead Co-founder and Bassist Phil Lesh Dies at 84
Phil Lesh, the co-founder and former bassist of the Grateful Dead has died at age 84.
Lesh “passed peacefully” the morning of Oct. 25, his family said.
“He was surrounded by his family and full of love,” they said in a statement. “Phil brought immense joy to everyone around him and leaves behind a legacy of music and love.”
“Rest in peace, Phil Lesh,” Tinsley Ellis said. “A very sad day indeed.”
No cause was given, but Lesh had a liver transplant in 1998 and survived cancer and a couple of bouts with COVID-19.
“Phil Lesh - rest in peace,” said String Cheese Incident’s Jason Hann. “Wow, what a powerful musical influence on our community. Godspeed.”
Big Shrimp echoed Hann, writing on social media: “Without Phil Lesh there would be no Big Shrimp. Rest easy Phil, thank you for the music.”
The Empire State Building will be aglow in tie-dye in Lesh’s honor tonight.
“Phil was the big brother I never had,” former Grateful Dead keyboardist Tom Constanten said.
“Sixty-three years ago he introduced me to his friend Jerry Garcia. Too many things to say, memories, adventures. Maybe in a day or so, as the numbness abates.”
Lesh joined the Warlocks in 1965, just before they changed their name to the Grateful Dead. He stayed with the group until it disbanded in 1995 after Jerry Garcia’s death.
“I will never forget Phil and his impact on my life and music,” Greensky Bluegrass’ Dave Bruzza said.
Though he didn’t compose as much as Garcia and Bob Weir, Lesh’s “Box of Rain” and “Unbroken Chain” were among the Dead’s most-revered songs.
“I will sing ‘Box of Rain’ tonight in Ann Arbor,” Steve Poltz said on social media. “Phil Lesh, RIP.”
Post-’95, Lesh toured with his revolving band of Friends, co-founded Furthur with Weir and played with his former bandmates in the Others Ones and the Dead.
“My life would be completely different without Phil Lesh,” Eric Krasno said in a statement.
“Millions of others would say the same. He taught me and many other musical Friends that it was way more important to move together than to try to shine on our own. When we are all in sync together anything is possible. … Thank you, Phil, for bringing us all together, and thank you for endlessly sharing your gift and letting us tag along.”
The so-called Core Four - Lesh, Weir, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart - last shared a stage in 2015 as Fare Thee Well.
“Thanks for the music, Phil,” Hyryder said. “Our love will not fade away.”
10/25/24
