RambleTamble
Member
- Location
- U.S.
Bob Weir, Guitarist and Founding Member of the Grateful Dead, Dies at 78
His songwriting and rhythm guitar playing helped shape the San Francisco band’s sound as it became an American institution.Bob Weir, a guitarist and songwriter who was a founding member of the Grateful Dead, which rose from jug band origins to become the kings of psychedelic rock, selling millions of records and inspiring a small nation of loyal fans, has died. He was 78.
His family announced the death in a statement on Saturday, saying that Mr. Weir had “succumbed to underlying lung issues” after receiving a cancer diagnosis in July. The statement did not say when or where he died.
The band, which was founded in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1965, blended rock, folk, blues and country, with mellow ease and a gift for improvisation that became its trademark. In a rock milieu that was still based on short songs and catchy hooks, the Grateful Dead created a niche for meandering, exploratory performances that each seemed to have their own personalities.
Bob flubs the first line but otherwise a fine performance...
Bob was known for his unique rhythm guitar style and use of chord inversions.
Only Mickey Hart remains.
