Grateful Dead founding member Phil Lesh has died

Trailblazing musician Phil Lesh died on Friday, October 25, at the age of 84.

His death was announced on his Instagram account.

Lesh was born in Berkeley and grew up in the Bay Area. He was living in Marin at the time of his death.

According to PaloAltoHistory.org, Lesh crossed paths with future Grateful Dead bandmates Jerry Garcia and Ron “Pigpen” McKernan at parties in Palo Alto in the early '60s. At this time, Lesh and Garcia also frequently visited Kepler's Books.

As the band's founding bassist, he helped define their sound by giving the bass a more prominent role from the rhythm section.

In addition to his influence in shaping the group's distinctive sound, the band decided on their name in November 1965 at Lesh's Palo Alto home, changing it from The Warlocks to the now world-famous Grateful Dead moniker.

Lesh was one of the Grateful Dead's long-time members and, along with guitarist and vocalist Bob Weir, helped ensure the band's music remained strong in the 21st century. Most recently he toured with Phil Lesh & Friends, the line-up sometimes including his son Grahame Lesh. According to SFGate, he performed at Warfield in May.

The post on Lesh's Instagram said he “passed away peacefully this morning. He was surrounded by his family and full of love. Phil brought great joy to everyone around him and leaves a legacy full of music and love. We ask that you respect the Lesh family’s privacy at this time.”