Mickey Hart, longtime drummer for Grateful Dead, shared his memories of Bob Weir following his death at 78.
“Bob Weir was a little brother to me for almost sixty years,” Hart wrote. He was my first friend in the Grateful Dead. We lived together, played together, and made music together that ended up changing the world.”
He continued, “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.”
The drummer concluded, “What was a lifetime of adventure boils down to something simple — we were family and true to the music through it all. These photos show the bookends of our lives together. Still cannot believe he’s gone. I miss you so much already, dear friend.”
Hart played drums in Grateful Dead from 1967 through 1971 and again from 1974 through 1995, when the band performed their final show. In 2015, he joined Weir in Dead & Company, which kept the spirit of the Dead alive for another decade, culminating in a 2023 “Final Tour” and two stints at Las Vegas’ Sphere.
Weir’s family announced his death on Jan. 10 in a statement. A date of death was not immediately available. “It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of Bobby Weir,” his family wrote. “He transitioned peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, after courageously beating cancer as only Bobby could. Unfortunately, he succumbed to underlying lung issues.”
“Bobby will forever be a guiding force whose unique artistry reshaped American music,” the statement added. “His work did more than fill rooms with music; it was warm sunlight that filled the soul, building a community, a language, and a feeling of family that generations of fans carry with them. Every chord he played, every word he sang was an integral part of the stories he wove. There was an invitation: to feel, to question, to wander, and to belong.”
Earlier this year, Hart reflected on his experience at Dead & Co’s Grateful Dead 60th anniversary shows, held in San Francisco’s Golden State Park. “This weekend was 3 days of coming home and in those final moments of the weekend, it was truly profound,” he wrote on Instagram. “I saw 60,000 people sparking light, in love, entrained big time and coming our way. Different than applause after a song, it sounded more like an ahhhhhh. All the peace and love in proximity generated a collective energy that was shared by all. Very rare stuff indeed.”
