Grateful Dead Were In Reunion Talks Before Phil Lesh’s Death
The Grateful Dead were in talks of reuniting in honor of their 60th anniversary before the death of bassist Phil Lesh on October 25.
Surviving Dead members Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann, and Mickey Hart discussed this during an interview with CBS Mornings, which took place only five days following Lesh’s death. In fact, there were plans initially penciled in for Weir, Kreutzmann, Hart, and Lesh to get together and jam the day after the interview.
Kreutzmann said, “I was hoping that we could play with him again one more time. So that was my sadness. ‘Cause I know he wanted to play with us again, too.”
Weir added, “We were gonna see where it goes, but we were just gonna play the four of us. Now there’s only three of us … and that’s different.”
Lesh’s cause of death still hasn’t been publicly confirmed. However, Lesh was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2006. Shortly after announcing his diagnosis, Lesh had successful prostate surgery. In 2015, Lesh underwent surgery for bladder cancer, which was also successful.
Lesh’s death was announced in an Instagram post. The post noted in the caption, “He was surrounded by his family and full of love. Phil brought immense joy to everyone around him and leaves behind a legacy of music and love. We request that you respect the Lesh family’s privacy at this time.”
The Grateful Dead remains one of the most influential and popular bands of all time. In July, it was announced the band would receive the Kennedy Center Honors alongside a class that also features Francis Ford Coppola and Bonnie Raitt. The ceremony will take place on December 6 and will be broadcast on CBS on December 23.
Days before Lesh’s passing, MusiCares named the Grateful Dead their 2025 Persons of the Year in honor of the band’s 60th anniversary and their collective charitable work for decades. MusiCares is the philanthropic arm of the Recording Academy, which puts on the Grammy Awards.
A joint statement was released from Lesh, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, and Bobby Weir saying, “We are deeply honored to be recognized as MusiCares Persons of the Year. This honor is truly a testament to the legacy of the music, which has always been bigger than us—it’s about the connection between us, the crew, and all those who’ve been on this long strange trip. It’s not just about what we create, but about making sure the people behind it, behind us every night, the ones who quietly make it all happen, get the support they need to keep going, no matter what life throws at them. We’re grateful to stand with MusiCares and hope everyone continues to support this vital mission to ensure music thrives in perpetuity.”
