Bob Weir, co-founder of the legendary rock band the Grateful Dead, died at age 78 on January 10, 2026, his family announced.
Weir’s passing was confirmed in a statement on his official website, which said he “transitioned peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, after courageously beating cancer as only Bobby could,” though he ultimately succumbed to underlying lung issues. The guitarist and singer helped define the Grateful Dead’s sound over more than six decades in music and remained active onstage through anniversary performances in 2025
Learn more about his life, career, and legacy below.
Bob Weir Was a Founding Member of the Grateful Dead
Weir co-founded the Grateful Dead in 1965 with Jerry Garcia, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann and Ron “Pigpen” McKernan. As the band’s rhythm guitarist and a frequent lead vocalist, Weir helped define their improvisational jam-band sound. He sang and co-wrote fan favorites like “Sugar Magnolia,” “One More Saturday Night,” and “Truckin’,” and appeared on landmark albums including Workingman’s Dead, American Beauty, and Europe ’72.
He Continued Performing for Over Six Decades
After the Grateful Dead disbanded in 1995, Weir continued touring and performing with various projects including RatDog, Furthur, and Dead & Company, keeping the band’s music alive for decades. He marked 60 years in music with performances as recently as 2025.
The statement shared on his website reflected on his lasting impact, saying, “His work did more than fill rooms with music; it was warm sunlight that filled the soul, building a community, a language, and a feeling of family that generations of fans carry with them. Every chord he played, every word he sang was an integral part of the stories he wove. There was an invitation: to feel, to question, to wander, and to belong. ”
It added, “There is no final curtain here, not really. Only the sense of someone setting off again. 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. And so we send him off the way he sent so many of us on our way: with a farewell that isn’t an ending, but a blessing. A reward for a life worth livin.’”
Bob Weir and the Grateful Dead Received the Music Industry’s Top Honors
Weir and the Grateful Dead were widely recognized for their impact on American music. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, cementing their legacy as one of rock’s most influential acts. In 2007, Weir and his bandmates received the Grammy Awards Lifetime Achievement Award, honoring their decades-long contributions to the industry.
More recently, Weir was also recognized by the Kennedy Center Honors, reflecting his lasting cultural influence beyond the Grateful Dead’s original era.
He Was Married to Natascha Muenter and Had Two Daughters
Weir married Natascha Münter in 1999. The couple remained together for more than 25 years until his death.They had two daughters, named Shala Monet Weir and Chloe Kaelia Weir, who survive him.
Bob Weir Battled Cancer
Weir was diagnosed with cancer in July 2025. He battled the disease and reportedly “beat” it, but later succumbed to underlying lung issues and died at age 78, surrounded by loved ones.
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