The legendary guitarist, singer, and founding member of the famous Grateful Dead, Bob Weir, has died at the age of 78. This news has shocked the rock and jam band communities. His family confirmed the news on social media, and as of January 10, 2026, multiple news outlets, including Hollywood Reporter, CNN, and Fox News, reported the sad news.
Along with Jerry Garcia, Weir helped start the Grateful Dead in 1965. He played rhythm guitar and sang lead vocals, helping to shape the band’s improvisational sound over decades of touring. He had hits like “Truckin'” and “Sugar Magnolia” and played thousands of shows, making a lot of fans who are now known as Deadheads. Weir kept playing with bands like RatDog and Furthur after the Grateful Dead broke up. He kept the live jam tradition going until 2025.
Fans and musicians filled social media with tributes, praising Weir’s unique guitar playing and the fact that he still had a lot of energy on stage even in his late 70s. People in the music business talked about how he helped start the jam band genre and how his career never slowed down over the course of six decades.
