Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh dies at 84 – NBC New York

Phil Lesh, founder of the Grateful Dead, died Friday morning at the age of 84 a message on his official Instagram account.

The cause of his death was not immediately clear.

Lesh formed the Grateful Dead in Palo Alto with Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, Ron McKernan and Bill Kreutzmann in 1965, and the band had a devoted following known as “Deadheads”.

In addition to playing bass, Lesh also sang high harmonies for the band and occasionally provided lead vocals, according to the New York Times. He also co-wrote some of the band’s most notable songs, including ‘St. Stephen,” “Dark Star,” “Cumberland Blues,” “Truckin’” and “Box of Rain,” the Times reported.

The Instagram post Friday morning read as follows: “Phil Lesh, bassist and founding member of The Grateful Dead, passed away peacefully this morning. He was surrounded by his family and full of love. Phil brought immense joy to everyone around him and leaves a legacy of music and love. We ask that you respect the Lesh family’s privacy at this time.”

It was not clear who wrote the message.

Philip Chapman Lesh was born on March 15, 1940 in Berkeley, California.