Bob Weir, founding member of the Grateful Dead, dies aged 78

Bob Weir, co-founder of the Grateful Dead, has died at age 78.

According to an Instagram post made by his daughter Chloe Weir, the songwriter and guitarist died from underlying lung issues after recently beating cancer.

“He transitioned peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, after courageously beating cancer as only Bobby could,” Chloe wrote. "He often spoke of a three-hundred-year legacy, determined to ensure the songbook would endure long after him. May that dream live on through future generations of Dead Heads.

"Bobby will forever be a guiding force whose unique artistry reshaped American music. There is no final curtain here, not really. Only the sense of someone setting off again.”

The Grateful Dead, an American psychedelic rock group and catalyst of the counterculture movement of the 1960’s ,were inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 and received the 2007 Grammy’s Lifetime Achievement Award. The group disbanded following the death of leader Jerry Garcia in 1995.

The Grateful Dead are considered the godfathers of the jam band genre. Their music was defined by improvisation, genre blending, and energetic live shows, which cultivated a massive and devoted community of fans known as "Deadheads."

After the group disbanded, Weir founded and played in other bands, including Kingfish, Bobby and the Midnites, Scaring the Children and more.

Weir also founded Dead & Company in 2015 with other members of the Grateful Dead in order to continue the band’s legacy. Their  residency at the Las Vegas Sphere in 2024 was one of the highest-grossing of all time. Following the sphere run, the band returned in the spring of 2025 to celebrate their 10th anniversary.

Weir's final performance came weeks after his diagnosis, when he performed at a three night celebration of 60 years of music at Golden Gate Park in August.

Among those paying tribute was Don Felder from the Eagles, who posted a tribute to Weir on his Instagram account.

“I first saw Bob at Woodstock with the Grateful Dead and was blown away by the whole band and the musicianship," Felder wrote.

Bob Dylan took to his X account to share a photo of him and Weir from the 1987 Dead tour.

pic.twitter.com/cBXGGcn4OJ

— Bob Dylan (@bobdylan) January 11, 2026

The Empire State Building in New York City shined a light tribute for the artist, covering the building in tie-dye colours, often associated with the Grateful Dead.

Weir is survived by his wife Natascha and children Shala and Chloe.