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Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsPhil Lesh, Bassist for the Grateful Dead, Dies at 84
Bassist Phil Lesh, whose dense, inventive playing powered the Grateful Dead and, following the 1995 death of guitarist Jerry Garcia, many of the San Francisco bands touring reincarnations, died Friday. He was 84.
The news was posted on his official Instagram page with the message Phil Lesh, bassist and founding member of The Grateful Dead, passed peacefully this morning. 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 familys privacy at this time.
As a writer, he co-authored a number of compositions St. Stephen, The Eleven and the epic Dark Star which became long-form, jam-oriented fixtures of the Deads concert repertoire that were much beloved by legions of bootlegging fans. In 1968-70, he was aided and abetted in the band by keyboardist Tom Constanten, his like-minded former roommate at Oaklands Mills College.
https://variety.com/2024/music/news/phil-lesh-dies-grateful-dead-1236191200/

LuckyCharms
(19,735 posts)Fuck, I'm crying.
RIP you beautiful genius.
underpants
(189,237 posts)I know. I havent talked to my brother yet. 300 shows or near that.
LuckyCharms
(19,735 posts)I love him so much, and he has inspired my life in ways I can't explain. This one hurts bad.
LuckyCharms
(19,735 posts)that the people in that band had to MILLIONS of people.
fishwax
(29,331 posts)This news makes me sad, but my goodness what a great gift to the world this guy brought with his music.
My favorite song to think about when I'm thinking about death and the precious nature of life is "Box of Rain," a song Phil wrote with Robert Hunter as a kind of parting gift to his father, convalescing in a nursing home, terminally ill with cancer. I'll definitely be spinning that tonight: "And it's just a box of rain / I don't know who put it there / believe it if you need it / or leave it if you dare / and it's just a box of rain / or some ribbon for your hair / such a long long time to be gone / and a short time to be there."
So I thank you Phil, and I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight.
underpants
(189,237 posts)Im didnt know the back story.
Friend of the Devil is one of my all time sings. Phil marked the song with the bass.
darkstar
(5,660 posts)A said day for me and most certainly 100s of thousand others. Fare The Well.