WASHINGTON — Bob Weir, celebrated guitarist, singer, and songwriter who helped shape the legacy of the Grateful Dead, has died at 78. His passing marks the end of an era for rock music enthusiasts worldwide.

A statement on his Instagram page revealed, “With deep sorrow, we announce the passing of Bobby Weir. He left us peacefully, surrounded by family, after valiantly overcoming cancer in his own unique way.” The message further revealed that his death was due to underlying lung issues.

The Instagram post emphasized Weir’s monumental impact, saying, “His music did more than entertain; it was a beacon of warmth and unity that forged a sense of community, instilled a shared language, and fostered a spirit of kinship among generations of fans.”

In July 2025, Weir was diagnosed with cancer and began receiving treatment just weeks ahead of a performance at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, celebrating the Grateful Dead’s 60th anniversary. While details of his specific type of cancer remain undisclosed, the post confirmed that he had successfully battled the disease.

“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,” the caption said. “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.”

Fans, called “Dead Heads” flooded to the comments to pay their respects to the rock legend, wishing his family well and thanking him for the music he made. 

“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’,” the caption said. “May we honor him not only in sorrow, but in how bravely we continue with open hearts, steady steps, and the music leading us home. Hang it up and see what tomorrow brings.”

Weir joined the Grateful Dead — originally the Warlocks — in 1965 in San Francisco at just 17 years old. He’d spend the next 30 years playing on endless tours with the Grateful Dead alongside fellow singer and guitarist Jerry Garcia, who died in 1995.

Weir wrote or co-wrote and sang lead vocals on Dead classics including “Sugar Magnolia,” “One More Saturday Night” and “Mexicali Blues.”

Weir’s death leaves drummer Bill Kreutzmann as the only surviving original member. Founding bassist Phil Lesh died in 2024.

He was part of various bands, projects and side projects. The most recent was Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros, which formed in 2018 and was a a six-piece string and brass ensemble with Don Was, Jay Lane, Jeff Chimenti and The Wolfpack, according to his website. 

He and the Grateful Dead earned many awards over the decades, including in 2024 when they were recipients of the Kennedy Center Honors, in 2025 when the band was named MusiCares Person of the Year. Weir also earned the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, is in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and has been honored many other ways, according to his website. 

The band has more than 2.1 million monthly listeners on Spotify with hits like “Friend of the Devil,” “Touch of Grey” and “Casey Jones” being the most popular. 

His family, consisting of wife Natascha Münter and children Shala Monet Weir and Chloe Kaelia Weir is requesting privacy and “offer their gratitude for the outpouring of love, support, and remembrance.”