Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh has died at the age of 84, his family has confirmed. The musician was a founding member of the legendary rock band and had a huge influence on the music industry
Legendary Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh has died, leaving a profound impact on rock and roll after his decades-spanning career.
His passing was confirmed by loved ones who were with the iconic musician during his last moments, enveloping him in affection. Phil was a founding member of the Grateful Dead which began in 1965 before being disbanded 30 years later.
A statement released through Phil’s official Instagram account on Friday announced: “Phil Lesh, bassist and founding member of The Grateful Dead passed peacefully this morning. He was surrounded by his family and full of love. Phil brought immense joy to everyone around him and leaves behind a legacy of music and love.”
The message also included a request for privacy, stating: “We request that you respect the Lesh family’s privacy at this time.” Lesh, who helped shape the sound of a generation with the Grateful Dead, was 84 years old and is mourned by his wife Jill amongst others.
Tributes have been pouring in for the late musician, with one fan writing on Twitter (X): “Crushed by the news that Phil Lesh has passed. One of the all-time greatest bass players and just a true original in every possible way. Smuggled so much weirdness and originality into the heart of American culture. But his tone is immortal. Nothing hits like a Phil bomb. RIP.”
Another penned: “RIP Phil Lesh, the cerebral, avant-garde, post-Beat genius who took the Dead’s sound far beyond psych-blues and folk into weird empyrean realms of free jazz & classical. He could play the bass like a heartbeat or a tidal wave, searching for new but timeless sounds eternally.”
Iconic American rock band The Grateful Dead were founded in 1965 – with Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann and Ron McKernan being founding members alongside Phil. They released their self titled debut album in 1967 but it failed to make much of a splash in the charts.
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The band’s success began to. build in the 1970s and their album Blues For Ashes reached number 12 in the USA in 1975. Their best selling record was the 1987 album In The Dark which hit number 6 in the USA and number 57 in the UK. The single Touch Of Grey was their most successful – hitting number 9 in the USA, 17 in Canada when released in 1987.
After the group disbanded in 1995 following the death of lead writer Jerry Garcia, Phil performed in offshoot The Other Ones and The Dead, and his own band, Phil Lesh and Friends. Phil battled ill health while maintaining his music career. In 1998, he had a liver transplant due to a chronic hepatitis C infection and he was later diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2006.
The musician was married his wife Jill in 1984 and is survived by her and their two children, Grahame and Brian. Earlier this week, charity organisation MusiCares, which helps music professionals who need financial, personal or medical support, announced they were honouring Phil along with the original Grateful Dead members as its 2025 Persons of the Year for their philanthropic efforts.
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