Phil Lesh Cause of Death: Grateful Dead Icon Dies at 84

Phil Lesh’s cause of death has go a taxable of treatment pursuing the bittersweet quality that the Grateful Dead founding subordinate has passed away.

The longtime bassist for the legendary jam set was 84 years old.

News of Lesh’s passing was revealed connected his authoritative Instagram leafage connected Friday afternoon.

Phil Lesh performs onstage astatine Headcount & Dayglo Present Phil Lesh And Very Special Friends At The Apollo Theater astatine The Apollo Theater connected September 7, 2018 successful New York City. (Photo by Marc Millman/Getty Images for Dayglo Presents)

A Sad Day For Deadheads

“Phil Lesh, bassist and founding subordinate of The Grateful Dead, passed peacefully this morning,” work the statement.

“He was surrounded by his household and afloat of love. Phil brought immense joyousness to everyone astir him and leaves down a bequest of euphony and love. We petition that you respect the Lesh family’s privateness astatine this time.”

Within minutes, thousands of comments had poured successful from fans. Many of them expressed their sympathy done beloved Grateful Dead lyrics.

“What a beauteous beingness helium lived,” 1 instrumentality wrote.

“Such a agelong long clip to beryllium gone and specified a abbreviated clip to beryllium there,” different commented, referencing the opus “Box of Rain.”

“Fare you well, fare you well. I emotion you much than words tin tell. Listen to the stream sing saccharine songs to stone my soul,” a 3rd chimed successful (quoting the band’s “Brokedown Palace”), adding:

Phil Lesh of The Dead performs astatine the Izod Center connected April 28, 2009 successful East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Cory Schwartz/Getty Images)

“Rest Easy Phil. You tin jam with Jerry, Pigpen and Brent again!”

The past portion referred to Lesh’s precocious bandmates. Jerry Garcia, Ron “Pigpen” Kerman, and Brent Mydland, each passed distant astatine aboriginal ages.

“A joker, a prankster, a thunder-bomb thrower, a rainmaker, a container builder, a headband wearer,” a 4th instrumentality observed.

“A rocker of tie-dyes, a weaver of chains, breached and unbroken, already connected the 4 winds and astir apt safely location astatine that. His representation is simply a blessing.”

Phil Lesh’s Cause of Death

Phil Lesh of the Grateful Dead holds a transcript of his book, “Searching for the Sound: My Life with the Grateful Dead” astatine the 10th yearly Los Angeles Times Festival of Books astatine UCLA connected April 24, 2005 successful Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images)

There’s been nary authoritative connection connected Lesh’s origin of death. But based connected the supra connection from his family, it sounds arsenic though helium went peacefully, and his passing was not unexpected.

Lesh received a liver transplant successful 1998 pursuing a hepatitis C infection.

He was diagnosed with prostate cancer successful 2008, but helium revealed the pursuing twelvemonth that helium had undergone palmy treatment.

Musician Phil Lesh arrives astatine the 49th Annual Grammy Awards astatine the Staples Center connected February 11, 2007 successful Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

A Life Well-Lived

In summation to his enactment with the Grateful Dead, Lesh performed successful specified off-shoot projects arsenic the Other Ones, the Dead, and Phil Lesh and Friends.

He was a relation exemplary to countless musicians, including John Mayer, with whom helium performed for respective years.

Our thoughts to retired to Phil’s loved ones during this hard time.