Stars from Bob Dylan to Brandi Carlile remember rock band co-founder as ‘beautiful human’ after his death at 78
The death of Bob Weir, the Grateful Dead co-founder, rhythm guitarist, vocalist and writer of much of the legendary psychedelic rock band’s songs, drew a chorus of tributes from fellow musicians and fans who described him as a “musical guru” and “the last actual hippie”.
Weir recently survived cancer but died from “underlying lung issues”, according to a statement posted on Saturday on Instagram.
The Grateful Dead, a mainstay of the 1960s and 70s countercultural scene, engendered a passionate following of fans known as Deadheads, who often followed the band on its tours and attended hundreds of shows. One of them, Andy Cohen, the prominent TV personality and producer, described Weir as “impossibly beautiful and wildly fiery, intense and passionate”.
“Nobody forgets their first Dead show and mine was in 1986 in Alpine Valley, Wisconsin. Bob was just a speck on the stage from where I was, but man was his voice fierce and smooth,” Cohen wrote on Instagram. “Bob checked out but his music is going to live gloriously forever, and so will he. One of the absolute coolest and best to ever do it.”
