Death of Phil Lesh: Founding member of the Grateful Dead dies at the age of 84

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Phil Lesh, a founding member of The Grateful Dead and the band's bassist throughout their three-decade career, has died. He was 84.

The announcement was made on Friday (October 25) in a statement posted on his official Instagram page. “Phil Lesh, bassist and founding member of The Grateful Dead, passed away peacefully this morning. He was surrounded by his family and full of love,” the statement said.

“Phil brought great joy to everyone around him and leaves a legacy full of music and love. We ask that you respect the Lesh family’s privacy at this time.”

No cause of death was initially announced.

Philip Chapman Lesh was born on March 15, 1940 in Berkeley, California. He played violin in his youth before switching to trumpet as a student at Berkeley High School, where he developed a fascination for avant-garde classical music and free jazz.

While studying at the University of California, Berkeley in 1961, Lesh became friends with future Grateful Dead keyboardist Tom Constanten. A few years later, while volunteering at local radio station KPFA, Lesh met and became friends with bluegrass banjo player Jerry Garcia. In 1964, Garcia convinced Lesh to become the bassist in his new rock band, then called The Warlocks, even though Lesh had never played bass before.

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Lesh's unconventional approach to his instrument became a key element in defining the Grateful Dead's influential sound. He is credited with co-writing some of their best-known songs, including “Truckin'”, “Box of Rain” and “Unbroken Chain”.

After the Grateful Dead's breakup, Lesh continued to play with offshoot groups such as The Other Ones and The Dead, as well as his own band, Phil Lesh and Friends.

In April 2005, Lesh published his memoirs In Search of the Sound: My Life with the Grateful Dead. The following year, he announced that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, which he had surgically removed a few months later. In October 2015, Lesh underwent another surgery for bladder cancer.

This March, Lesh will celebrate his 84th birthday with a show at the Capitol Theater in Port Chester, New York.

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Lesh married his wife Jill in 1984 and the couple had two children, Grahame and Brian.

Just two days ago, MusiCares, an organization that helps music professionals in need of financial, personal or medical assistance, announced that it had named Lesh along with original Grateful Dead members Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann and Bobby Weir as “Persons of the Year.” 2025” will honor philanthropic efforts.