Photo Credit: Jay Blakesberg
Phil Lesh, founding member and bassist for the Grateful Dead, passed away peacefully this morning. Lesh is remembered as a legendary artist, passionate innovator and a figurehead and champion for the jam community. He was 84.
Peter Shapiro, Publisher for Relix, was a friend and collaborator to Lesh for 20 years, staging the musician’s annual extended residencies and birthday celebrations at The Capitol Theatre and playing an instrumental role in the Grateful Dead’s Fare Thee Well 50-year reunion concerts. “Phil was like a father to me,” he shares. “I feel very lucky to be able to say that. It’s a good lesson to live life as much as possible because Phil did that and I am fortunate to have been able to do so many shows together with him and his magic bass and magic energy.”
Read a complete obituary for Lesh here.
