Bob Dylan, Trey Anastasio, Bruce Hornsby, and More Remember Bob Weir

The music world is mourning founding Grateful Dead member Bob Weir. Bill Kreutzmann, Weir’s longtime friend and bandmate in the Dead, wrote, “There are so many people who can rightfully say that their life would not have been the same without Bob Weir. That’s been true for me since I was 17.”

Don Was, Weir’s bandmate in Wolf Bros since 2018, wrote, “Night after night, he taught us how to approach music with fearlessness and unbridled soul—pushing us beyond what we thought was musically possible. Every show was a transcendent adventure into the unknown.”

Bruce Hornsby, who toured with the Dead during the late ’80s and early ’90s, paid tribute to Weir on Facebook. “Always a warm, jovial presence, but with a mischievous look in his eye, he was ready with banter, a quip, a wise-guy crack or bon mot most all the time,” Hornsby wrote. “I love you, Bob, and will always fondly remember our many moments, so often transcendent, throwing chords and notes around in space, through the air, together.”

Bravo host and noted Deadhead Andy Cohen said on Instagram, “Bob Weir wasn’t The Other One, he was That Guy. I feel SO BLESSED to have gotten to know Bob and the equally wondrous Weir family through my friendship with John. He came on [Watch What Happens Live] a few times and when he talked about Jerry’s passing he referred to it as “checkin’ out”. That felt so graceful a way to put it, and a testament to the fluidity of all us in this world. 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.”

Phish’s Trey Anastasio penned a lengthy tribute to Weir:

Sad to hear that my friend Bobby has passed on. This one really hurts. I really loved him. He was a sweet, kind, gentle friend, and I never believed this would happen so soon.

I knew Bobby for many years, but it was in the lead-up to Fare Thee Well that we really became close. I went out to his beach house, and we spent three nights there alone, just the two of us: playing guitar, cooking scrambled eggs, listening to records, working out, talking, and walking on the beach.  We went out to dinner together, and he let me drive his new car. That was also when I first met Tascha, whom I love so much. Tascha, my heart is with you, Monet and Chloe today.

Bobby told me incredible stories about his life during those days at the beach house. He told me how he was still in high school when the first acid test happened. When it was over, the sun came out, and he had to do his math homework as he raced back to school on the train. He said after the second or third acid test, he looked down at his homework and said, “Nah.” And that was it. The rest of his life was on the road, in the Grateful Dead and other bands.

He told me stories about working on those classic Dead songs, what music the band was listening to as the songs were coming together. He said that when they were learning “Uncle John’s Band,” they were listening to the first CSN album and trying to harmonize like them. When they were learning “Help on the Way,” they were trying to sound like the Mahavishnu Orchestra. I found all of that endlessly fascinating.

Bobby was completely allergic to compliments in the most endearing way. I’d say, “Man, that guitar riff you were doing on that song sounded really killer” and he’d respond, “Well, I’m sure I’ll fuck it up next time.” I loved that about him.

Weir’s Dead & Company bandmate John Mayer posted, “Okay Bob. I’ll do it your way. Fkn’ A… Thanks for letting me ride alongside you. It sure was a pleasure. If you say it’s not the end, then I’ll believe you. I’ll meet you in the music. Come find me anytime.”

“We lost a champion today,” Primus’ Les Claypool posted to Instagram, alongside a photo of himself and Weir on stage together. “Bob Weir, one of the nicest humans Ive ever met in the music world. A legend on many levels.”

“This guy was such a hero,” Heart’s Nancy Wilson wrote. “The world is a sadder place without him in it. He spread a life time of magic around and always had that twinkle of good nature in his eyes. His good vibrations will never end. He gave such a gift to us all.

Mickey Hart said his bandmate “was a little brother to me for almost sixty years,” adding, “He was my first friend in the Grateful Dead. We lived together, played together, and made music together that ended up changing the world. Bob had the ability to play unique chords that few others could. Long fingers, that’s the difference. Jerry once told me that the harmonics Bob created became an inspiration for his own solos. When all of us were entrained, rhythm section, guitars, and voices… it was transcendent. What was a lifetime of adventure boils down to something simple—we were family and true to the music through it all.”

Brandi Carlile shared, “Tonight I’m thinking about all our friends in music young and old and how @bobweir had time for all of us… he came to our shows, helped us write songs and got so many of us out on stage to jam and just stand in his light. What a nurturing way-paving soul…”

Margo Price described Weir as “a sage—a profoundly wise, musical guru who taught me so much about songs, art, melody, meditation and being in the moment. He was unlike most rock stars in that he was unpretentious, deep and rooted in knowing who he was. Bobby vibrated with magic. He was both ancient and young—he always had a twinkle in his eye. Like a barefoot philosopher or the Lorax, he was mystical. He spoke for the trees.”

Willie Nelson’s son Micah Nelson—who records music as Particle Kid—compared Weir to “an imaginary character from some ancient cartoon, both fictional and hyper-real, a mystical song wizard, chiseled into reality rock…. ageless, like clouds or music or mountains…”

Billy Strings wrote, “I’ve never knew a person so in tune with the cosmos. Who was so mystical and smart and mysterious, alluring and radiant. He was a star wrangler .. a celestial skysage who traded fear for wonder. Now he is riding the northern lights and skipping barefoot between the constellations…”

Former Eagles lead guitarist Don Felder said, “I first saw Bob at Woodstock with the Grateful Dead and was blown away by that whole band, and the musicianship. I feel so blessed to have been able to have him sing on “Rock You” from American Rock and Roll. Until we meet again, amigo.​​​​​​​​”

Michael Franti wrote, “We shared the stage many times and he was always eager, wildly curious, and ready to try anything. The first time we played together was at a Peace Concert my team put on after the events of 9 11. We were joined by Flea on bass and Woody Harrelson on vocals. Bobby looked like a kid in a candy store playing with such a wonderfully odd crew. I could not believe that a true giant in music made time to stand in a park with a few hundred people and help us send a musical message of peace.

“Bob Weir was a true son of California who helped create the soundtrack of a generation,” California Governor Gavin Newsom posted on X. “He was — and will always be — a king of psychedelic rock. Bob will be deeply missed, and his music will forever live on.”

Elsewhere, Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo quoted the lyrics to the Grateful Dead’s “Sugar Magnolia”; Sean Ono Lennon said “It was a great pleasure and a privilege to know you, brother”; “God bless Bob Weir,” declared Billy Corgan; Slash posted ” RIP #BobWeir 💔”; the Empire State Building was lit up in tie-dye; and Bob Dylan shared a photo of himself onstage with the Dead, flanked by Weir and Jerry Garcia.