Phil Lesh, Grateful Dead Bassist, Dies at 84
Phil Lesh, bassist and founding member of the Grateful Dead, has died. He was 84.
Lesh’s death was confirmed in a post via Instagram. The post noted in the caption, “He was surrounded by his family and full of love. Phil brought immense joy to everyone around him and leaves behind a legacy of music and love. We request that you respect the Lesh family’s privacy at this time.”
A cause of death has not been confirmed. However, Lesh was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2006. Shortly after announcing his diagnosis, Lesh had successful prostate surgery. In 2015, Lesh underwent surgery for bladder cancer, which was also successful.
Lesh remained in the Grateful Dead during its entire run from 1965 until the band dissolved following the death of Jerry Garcia in 1995. Lesh participated in two Grateful Dead spin-offs: The Other Ones and The Dead. He would later form Phil Lesh and Friends, which featured a variety of rotating musicians. Among them were Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks, Little Feat’s Bill Payne and Paul Barrere, Phish’s Trey Anastasio and Page McConnell, and Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann.
While Lesh retired from full-time touring in 2014, he continued to perform live and notably did so at the 2015 Fare Thee Well shows honoring the 50th anniversary of the Grateful Dead.
The Grateful Dead remains one of the most influential and popular bands of all time. In July, it was announced the band would receive the Kennedy Center Honors alongside a class that also features Francis Ford Coppola and Bonnie Raitt. The ceremony will take place on December 6 and will be broadcast on CBS on December 23.
Days before Lesh’s passing, MusiCares named the Grateful Dead their 2025 Persons of the Year in honor of the band’s 60th anniversary and their collective charitable work for decades. MusiCares is the philanthropic arm of the Recording Academy, which puts on the Grammy Awards.
A joint statement was released from Lesh, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, and Bobby Weir saying, “We are deeply honored to be recognized as MusiCares Persons of the Year. This honor is truly a testament to the legacy of the music, which has always been bigger than us—it’s about the connection between us, the crew, and all those who’ve been on this long strange trip. It’s not just about what we create, but about making sure the people behind it, behind us every night, the ones who quietly make it all happen, get the support they need to keep going, no matter what life throws at them. We’re grateful to stand with MusiCares and hope everyone continues to support this vital mission to ensure music thrives in perpetuity.”
