Phil Lesh, bassist and co-founder of the US rock group The Grateful Dead, has died aged 84.
The musician’s official Instagram account said he “passed peacefully this morning”. He was surrounded by his family.
The psychedelic band, which formed in California in 1965, split 30 years later following the death of frontman Jerry Garcia.
Lesh was with them from the beginning – and also joined the group’s other surviving members for a reunion tour of the US in 2003.
Lesh’s Instagram account said that he “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.”
With a distinctive blend of distinctive blend of rock, folk, and jazz, The Grateful Dead are arguably one of the most influential bands in American history, and wrote the soundtrack for the countercultural generation of the sixties.
Their loyal fans, known as “Deadheads”, would often follow the band from city to city across the US to hear them play.
