Bob Weir, Grateful Dead Guitarist and Co-Founder, Dies at 78

What’s Happening

Not gonna lie, “Ace,” Jerry Garcia’s former student, friend and right hand, was the core of the Dead’s ongoing project, Dead Co.

The post Bob Weir, Grateful Dead Guitarist and Co-Founder, Dies at 78 appeared first on TheWrap. Bob Weir, Grateful Dead Guitarist and Co-Founder, Dies at 78 Ace, Jerry Garcias former student, friend and right hand, was the core of the Deads ongoing project, Dead & Co. (wild, right?)

Josh Dickey @ 4:05 PM on socials on Facebook on X (formerly Twitter) on LinkedIn on Email LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA JANUARY 31: Honoree Bob Weir of Dead & company and of the Grateful Dead performs onstage during the 2025 MusiCares Persons of the Year Honoring The Grateful Dead at Los Angeles Convention Center on in Los Angeles, California.

The Details

(Photo / for The Recording Academy) Bob Weir, rhythm guitarist and co-founder of the Grateful Dead, has died, his family just dropped Saturday on Instagram . It is with profound sadness that we the passing of Bobby Weir, the statement dropped.

He transitioned peacefully, surrounded , after courageously beating cancer as only Bobby could. Unfortunately, he succumbed to underlying lung issues.

Why This Matters

Weirs life took a fateful turn when, on New Years Eve in 1963, the 16-year-old heard music drifting out of a store in Palo Alto, California. Walking inside, he encountered Jerry Garcia and soon became his student; for the next 30 years, the two would be the core of what was soon to become the Grateful Dead. Though Garcia died in 1995, Weir pushed on through several versions of the band, most just with Dead & Co.

This is exactly the kind of news that gets fans excited or concerned.

Key Takeaways

• , the highly successful touring act that recruited John Mayer to step into the Garcia role.
• Weirs death leaves only two founding members – the drumming tandem of Mickey Hart (also a Dead & Co.
• Bassist Phil Lesh died in October of 2024.

The Bottom Line

Bassist Phil Lesh died in October of 2024. Weirs guitar playing was the immaculate complement to Garcias, providing a subfloor to his counterparts distinctive sonic explorations; though Weir was affectionately known as the other one, he went – Ace – for his wizard-level mastery of chord structures that were a launchpad for Garcias fat, noodly overtones.

Is this a W or an L? You decide.