DER US-AMERIKANISCHE SÄNGER, ROCKGITARRIST UND SONGWRITER BOB WEIR (GRATEFUL DEAD) IST GESTORBEN

Der am 16. Oktober 1947 in San Francisco geborene US-amerikanische Sänger, Gitarrist und Songwriter Bob Weir (Bild) ist am 10. Januar 2026 gestorben. Er war Gründungsmitglied der einflussreichen US-Rockband Grateful Dead. Im Jahr 1963 lernte Bob Weir Jerry García kennen. Er war anschliessend Mitglied der Band The Warlocks, aus der später die Grateful Dead hervorgingen, deren ständiges Mitglied er bis zu ihrer Auflösung 1995 nach dem Tod von Jerry García war. Neben dem Songschreiber-Duo Jerry García / Robert Hunter (Musik / Text) trug Weir mit dem Texter John Barlow wesentlich zum Repertoire der Grateful Dead bei. Wie Garcia übernahm er den Gesang seiner eigenen Lieder. Als Rhythmusgitarrist stand er gegenüber García, der die allermeisten Gitarrensoli spielte, eher im Hintergrund. Zwischen 1974 und 1977 war Weir ausserdem Mitglied von Kingfish. Weir veröffentlichte auch eigene Alben unter seinem Namen (Ace, 1972), als Bobby & the Midnites und seit 1995 mit seiner eigenen Band Ratdog. Ausserdem beteiligte er sich an Auftritten mit anderen früheren Grateful-Dead-Mitgliedern unter den Namen The Other Ones und The Dead. Weir wurde 1994 als Mitglied der Grateful Dead in die Rock and Roll Hall of Fame aufgenommen. (*)

Bob Weier, 2007 - Foto: minds-eye, https://www.flickr.com/people/36703550@N00 - Lizenz: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en - Datei: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Weir,_Bob_(2007)_3.jpg

Bild: Bob Weier, 2007 – Foto: minds-eye, https://www.flickr.com/people/36703550@N00 – Lizenz: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en – Datei: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Weir,Bob(2007)_3.jpg

Bob Weir, Grateful Dead Co-Founder and Guitarist, Dead at 78

«Bobby will forever be a guiding force whose unique artistry reshaped American music,» family says announcing musician’s death

As the band’s co-lead singer, writer, and guitarist beside Jerry Garcia, his elliptical riffs, eccentric song structures and slightly off-kilter stage presence made him an intrinsic ingredient to the Dead, up to and beyond its demise following Garcia’s death in 1995.

Weir often went under-recognized compared to the larger-than-life Garcia (one of the first songs he wrote in the Dead was called “The Other One”). Yet, the band’s bassist Phil Lesh characterized Weir’s contribution as that of “a stealth machine.”

Richard Gehr, Daniel Kreps

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/bob-weir-grateful-dead-dead-obituary-1234810106/

Bob Weir, Renowned Guitarist and Founding Member of the Grateful Dead, Dies at 78

Bob Weir, guitarist and jam-band pioneer who co-founded the Grateful Dead and continued their legacy in the 21st century, has died following a battle with cancer.

In a career spanning six decades, Weir was key to developing the Grateful Dead from garden-variety psychedelic rockers as the Warlocks to godfathers of the jam band genre. Weir’s loping, syncopated guitar style, modeled after “McCoy Tyner’s left hand,” may not have made much sense in a traditional rock band, but to the Dead, it was a crucial puzzle piece.

Morgan Enos, Billboard Staff

https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/bob-weir-death-grateful-dead-8530995

Bob Weir, Grateful Dead co-founder and San Francisco rock pioneer, dies at 78

A founding member of the Grateful Dead, Weir was a central creative force in the band for more than half a century, providing rhythm guitar, vocals and songwriting that helped shape the group’s improvisational style and enduring appeal. Though often overshadowed by the mythic stature of lead guitarist Jerry Garcia, Weir’s influence proved just as durable — and, in many ways, singular.

Aidin Vaziri, Staff Writer

https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/music/article/bob-weir-grateful-dead-obituary-17815186.php

Bob Weir, legendary Grateful Dead guitarist known for innovative rhythm playing and beloved songwriting, has died at 78

Weir-penned songs include Grateful Dead fan favorites “Sugar Magnolia,” “Jack Straw,” “Playing in the Band” and “Weather Report Suite.” His vocal performance on the rock-radio staple “Truckin’” counts among the band’s finest recorded moments.

Eric Osmon

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2026-01-10/bob-weir-grateful-dead-dies-obituary

His songwriting and rhythm guitar playing helped shape the San Francisco band’s sound as it became an American institution

Bob Weir, a guitarist and songwriter who was a founding member of the Grateful Dead, which rose from jug band origins to become the kings of psychedelic rock, selling millions of records and inspiring a small nation of loyal fans, has died.

Ben Sisario, Mark Walker

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/10/obituaries/bob-weir-dead-grateful-dead.html

Videos:

Grateful Dead – The Other One (Philadelphia, PA 7/7/89)