Phil Lesh, bassist and founding member of the Grateful Dead, died on Friday at the age of 84.
“He was surrounded by his family and full of love,” a statement posted to his social media said. “Phil brought immense joy to everyone around him and leaves behind a legacy of music and love.”
Following the news, condolences began to appear online from fellow musicians, venues and more.
Longtime bandmate Bob Weir posted an extensive tribute to Lesh on X, formerly Twitter. “Let’s just say Phil wasn’t particularly averse to ruffling a few feathers,” he said at one point. “We had our differences, of course, but it’s not platitudinous to say that that only made our work together more meaningful. Our conversation and interaction will last, at very least, ‘til the end of my days.”
Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart also posted a statement honoring his fallen bandmate. “Phil Lesh changed my life. There are only a few people you meet in your lifetime that are special, important, who help you grow spiritually as well as musically,” he wrote. “His sound is indelibly embedded in my mind as is Jerry [Garcia]’s sound … and always will be.”
Other rockers were quick to pay their respects as well. “Sad day. I was hoping Phil would make it to the MusiCares performance,” Sammy Hagar wrote on Facebook. “My thoughts go out to his family and friends.”
Warren Haynes, jam band veteran who toured with Phil Lesh and Friends, also reflected on Lesh’s towering musical legacy. “There’s a whole type of music fan and a whole type of musician that exists due to something that Phil helped create,” he said. “Phil has been a bit of a ‘north star’ to so many fans and musicians alike and the impact of his loss will be a heavy one. I remember when my soulmate Allen Woody died — Phil was one of the first people to call me and I’ll never forget what he said: ‘I’m so sorry. I know what it’s like to lose someone with which you have a profound musical relationship.’ Yes he did. And now I’ve lost another one. Thank you Phil.”
Fellow jam band legends Phish also paid tribute to Lesh by covering the Grateful Dead’s “Box of Rain” in Albany, New York, on Friday. Bandleader Trey Anastasio and bassist Mike Gordon both also penned tributes to Lesh, with the former writing: “I was deeply saddened to hear that my friend Phil Lesh passed away this morning. Phil was more than a revolutionary, groundbreaking bass player—he transformed how I thought about music as a teenager. I have countless memories of standing in awe, listening to his winding, eloquent bass lines blending seamlessly with Jerry and Bobby’s guitars, Brent Mydland’s keys, and the thunderous drums of Billy and Mickey. I’m so grateful for those beautiful memories.”
Perhaps the most poignant tribute came from the Grateful Dead’s official social media: “There will be a lot of tributes, and they will all say important things. But for us, we’ve spent a lifetime making music with Phil Lesh and the music has a way of saying it all. So listen to the Grateful Dead and, in that way, we’ll all take a little bit of Phil with us, forever.”
You can see these and more tributes below.
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Gallery Credit: Michael Gallucci
