Phil Lesh, Grateful Dead Co-Founder and Bass Pioneer, Dies at 84
Phil Lesh performing on bass guitar
Grateful Dead founding member and bassist Phil Lesh died at age 84, surrounded by family. His passing was confirmed through an official family statement on social media.
A classically trained trumpeter, Lesh switched to bass at Jerry Garcia's request when joining the Warlocks, which later became the Grateful Dead. His unique, jazz-influenced playing style helped define the band's signature sound, and he co-wrote iconic songs including "Truckin'," "St. Stephen," and "Box of Rain."
The Grateful Dead performed and recorded from 1965 until Jerry Garcia's death in 1995. After the band, Lesh continued his musical journey, writing a memoir in 2005 titled 'Searching For The Sound: My Life With the Grateful Dead.' With his wife Jill, he opened a restaurant and music venue in 2012, and participated in the band's 50th anniversary Fare Thee Well shows in 2015.
Throughout his life, Lesh faced health challenges, including a liver transplant in 1998 and bladder cancer in 2015. His contributions to music were recently recognized as the Grateful Dead were named MusiCares Persons of the Year for 2025, an honor shared with fellow surviving members Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Bob Weir, and the late Ron 'Pigpen' McKernan.
His family has requested privacy during this time as they honor his legacy of music and love.
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