When the Grateful Dead first began in 1965, Bob Weir was just 17 years old, quickly earning the nickname “the kid.” Weir has been inseparable from his guitar since the age of 13 and over the years, forged a counter-rhythmic style uniquely his own, weaving jazz-inspired harmonies and complex chord voicings into the band’s ever-evolving sound. Weir first joined Jerry Garcia in 1964 to form Mother McCree’s Uptown Jug Champions, which soon became the Warlocks and, by 1965, the Grateful Dead. As the band moved from blues to psychedelia, folk, and country, Weir emerged as co-lead vocalist and songwriter. His partnership with lyricist John Perry Barlow produced enduring works like “Cassidy,” “Estimated Prophet,” and “Throwing Stones,” while Weir’s songs such as “The Other One,” “Sugar Magnolia,” and “Playing in the Band” became staples of the Dead’s live repertoire. By the time of Jerry Garcia’s passing in 1995, Weir had long since outgrown the image of ‘the kid,’ emerging as a defining architect of the Grateful Dead’s legacy and a steadfast force in keeping the songs and music alive. He is married to the former Natascha Muenter, and they have two daughters, Monet and Chloe.
