Bob Weir, the guitarist, singer and founding member of the iconic rock band the Grateful Dead, has died at the age of 78, his family announced on Saturday, January 10, 2026. Weir passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones after a prolonged struggle with cancer and subsequent lung issues, according to a statement shared on his official social media and website.
A defining figure in the American rock and counterculture music scene, Weir co-founded the Grateful Dead as a teenager with Jerry Garcia, Phil Lesh, Ron “Pigpen” McKernan and Bill Kreutzmann in 1965, helping shape the band’s improvisational blend of rock, blues and folk that inspired generations of fans known as Deadheads. His rhythm guitar work, distinctive vocals and songwriting contributions — including classics such as “Truckin’,” “Sugar Magnolia,” “Playing in the Band” and “Jack Straw” — were central to the band’s enduring appeal over more than six decades.
Weir continued performing after the Grateful Dead dissolved following Garcia’s death in 1995, leading projects such as RatDog and later performing with Dead & Company, maintaining the band’s legacy for new audiences. His family’s statement noted that Weir’s final performances last summer in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park marking 60 years of Grateful Dead music were “not farewells, but gifts.” He is survived by his wife, Natascha, and their daughters, Monet and Chloe.