Phil Lesh, the co-founder and bassist of beloved psychedelic rock band Grateful Dead, died on Friday (October 25) at the age of 84. His death was announced on his official Instagram account, which featured a smiling photo of the legendary musician. According to the post, Lesh “passed peacefully” while “surrounded by his family and full of love.” In addition to bringing “immense joy to everyone around him,” Lesh also “leaves behind a legacy of music and love.”
His bandmates in Grateful Dead were paid tribute to Lesh while expressing admiration for their friend. “Today we lost a brother. Phil Lesh was irreplaceable,” wrote the Dead on their official Instagram account, credited to surviving members Mickey [Hart], Billy [Kreutzmann] and Bobby [Weir]. “His bass flowed like a river would flow. It went where the muse took it. We’ve spent a lifetime making music with Phil Lesh and the music has a way of saying it all. So listen to the Grateful Dead and, in that way, we’ll all take a little bit of Phil with us, forever.” (Rolling Stone)