Grateful Dead co-founder and bassist Phil Lesh has died at the age of 84

Phil Lesh, a founding member of the rock band Grateful Dead, has died. He was 84.

“Phil Lesh, bassist and founding member of the Grateful Dead, passed away peacefully this morning,” an announcement said shared on the late musician’s Instagram Read on Friday.

“He was surrounded by his family and full of love.”

The post, which featured a photo of Lesh playing his bass on stage, honored him for “bringing immense joy to everyone around him and leaving a legacy of music and love.”

The tribute concluded: “We ask that you respect the privacy of the Lesh family at this time.”

An official cause of death has not been announced at this time and his rep did not immediately return Page Six’s request for comment.

However, Lesh shared in 2015 that he had been diagnosed with bladder cancer.

He said via a Facebook message at the time, he felt “very fortunate” that his pathology reports showed his tumors were “non-aggressive” and that there was no evidence of the cancer spreading.

The “Terrapin Station” rocker said he had been seeking treatment at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona, for two weeks and would eventually undergo surgery to remove the tumors.

Since Lesh’s death was announced, several friends and fans have posted tributes online.

One person commented on Instagram: “Thanks Phil. Say hi to Jerry for me ,” referring to the late Grateful Dead lead guitarist and singer Jerry Garcia, who died of a heart attack in 1995.

Journalist Ron Lieber added: “A joker, a prankster, a thunder bomber, a rainmaker, a box builder, a headband wearer, a rocker of tie-dyes, a weaver of chains, broken and unbroken, all to the four winds. and probably safe at home too. His memory is a blessing.”

Lesh co-founded the Grateful Dead in 1965, along with Garcia, singer and guitarist Ron “Pigpen” McKernan, and keyboardist and harmonica player Bob Weir and drummer Bill Kreutzmann.

The group was known for incorporating elements of rock, blues, jazz, folk, psychedelia and other genres into their music. Their devoted fandom is known as the ‘Deadheads’.

After Garcia died, other versions of the band were formed, including Dead & Company just played their last show in July 2023.

However, Lesh was not part of that band and instead toured with Phil Lesh and Friends from 1998 to 2000 along with a rotating group of musicians. From 2000 to 2003 he also played with the Phil Lesh Quartet.

In 1994, Lesh and other Grateful Dead members were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.