Phil Lesh was born in Berkley, California in 1940. He played trumpet and violin growing up, but quickly learned to play bass to complement the others in the band. He considered and handled the bass as a solo instrument and played mostly with a plectrum. Lesh considered The Grateful Dead to be playing “electronic church music” and was happy to push for more improvisation and experimentation during the recordings.
1995 passed Jerry Garcia away and the band officially disbanded. In 2015, the band still celebrated its 50th birthday with a farewell tour and in the same year Phil Lesh revealed that he had suffered from prostate cancer. However, his relatives have not announced the cause of death. The family writes in a statement that he was much loved and a person who spread joy around him.
Phil Lesh was 84 years old.
Phil Lesh. Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez
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