Phil Lesh, Grateful Dead Co-Founder and Bassist, Passes Away at 84

Phil Lesh, legendary bass player and co-founder of the Grateful Dead, passed away on Friday at the age of 84.

His death was announced on his official Instagram, stating, “Phil Lesh, bassist and founding member of the Grateful Dead, passed peacefully this morning. He was surrounded by family and filled with love.”

Lesh died just days after the Recording Academy awarded the Grateful Dead the 2025 MusiCares Persons of the Year, honoring the band’s cultural impact and generosity. The 34th annual gala in January 2025 will celebrate the surviving founders, Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, and Bill Kreutzmann, as well as the late Jerry Garcia.

Born on March 15, 1940, in Berkeley, California, Lesh grew up playing classical instruments before meeting Garcia in 1959. They connected again in 1964, and Garcia invited Lesh to join his band, the Warlocks, as a bassist—despite Lesh’s lack of experience on bass. A year later, the Warlocks became the Grateful Dead, launching an iconic era in rock.

Lesh was instrumental in developing the Grateful Dead’s distinctive sound. “When Phil’s happening, the band’s happening,” Garcia famously said. In his 2022 book, Bob Dylan praised Lesh as “one of the most skilled bassists you’ll ever hear in subtlety and invention.”

Though the Grateful Dead retired after Garcia’s death in 1995, Lesh continued to tour with former band members and under his own group, Phil Lesh and Friends, collaborating with musicians across generations. His final New York shows were held this March at the Capital Theater in Portchester, New York, marking his 100th performance at the venue.

“Today, we lost a brother,” Weir, Hart, and Kreutzmann wrote in a joint statement. “Phil Lesh was irreplaceable.” His bass flowed like a river, transporting us to uncharted musical worlds.”

Phil Lesh leaves behind an enduring legacy of music and inspiration.