Bob Weir’s Cancer
Bob Weir performing. Source: Shutterstock
Bob Weir, a founding member of the American rock band the Grateful Dead, died January 10, 2026, according to a statement on the guitarist’s official website. Weir is survived by his wife Natascha, and his daughters Shala Monet and Chloe Kaelia.
Bob Weir’s cancer updates
Diagnosed in July 2025, Weir began his cancer treatment just weeks before returning to performing for the band’s 60th anniversary concerts at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. The reunion concerts played for 3 nights and drew over 60,000 fans on each day.
His family described his choice to continue performing despite his condition, as “an artist choosing, even then, to keep going by his own design.”
According to Weir’s family’s statement, although he had beaten cancer, the guitarist had eventually “succumbed to underlying lung issues”. The cancer that he had was not disclosed. Their statement also reassured fans that the guitarist passed peacefully, and was surrounded by loved ones.
Statement on Bob Weir’s Instagram account about his passing. Source: Instagram/@bobweir
Bob Weir and the Grateful Dead
Weir joined the Grateful Dead in the early 1960’s as a teenager, where he was nicknamed “the kid”. The band is known for their skill at improvisation during live performances, bringing a unique take to each show.
Their fans, known as Dead Heads, would follow along as they toured from city to city, and were allowed to tape their concerts. This led to a strong fan culture of trading tapes, which in turn built up their reputation and recognition.
According to his family, Weir frequently “spoke of a three-hundred-year legacy” for the band’s songs. It was their wish that his dream lived on through future generations of Dead Heads.
The band's fans are indeed working hard to make this a reality, with many dedicating time and effort into archiving the band's works over the years. Currently, multiple fan-managed databases for the Grateful Dead have been created, aiming to digitize and archive records of the band’s performances over the past 60 years.
These efforts help new and old fans alike to find and explore the band’s extensive concert history — through past setlists, song statistics and venue information, keeping the band's legacy well and alive.