Phil Lesh was one of the influential personalities of the band, which he founded in Palo Alto in 1965 together with Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, Ron “Pigpen” McKernan and Bill Kreutzmann. His innovative bass lines and experimental riffs contributed significantly to the musical development of the Grateful Dead, who emerged from the San Francisco music scene in the 1960s. He not only influenced hits like “Box of Rain,” but also the band’s famous “Space” interludes, which were one of the hallmarks of their live concerts.
After the death of frontman Jerry Garcia in 1995, Lesh continued the musical tradition and founded the group “Phil Lesh and Friends”, which continued the musical legacy of the Grateful Dead. Lesh has reportedly had health problems in the past, including prostate cancer, bladder cancer and a liver transplant in 1998 due to a hepatitis C infection.
