The Grateful Dead is turning 60 this year, and fans have been wondering if the legendary band will reunite to celebrate. While a full reunion seemed possible at first, those plans were put on hold after the passing of co-founder and bassist Phil Lesh in October 2023.
Lesh, who was 84, “passed peacefully” surrounded by his family, according to a statement at the time. His loss deeply impacted the band’s remaining members—Bobby Weir, Bill Kreutzmann, and Mickey Hart—who had originally planned to come together for the milestone anniversary.
In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Weir admitted that the idea of a reunion changed with Lesh’s passing. “I think when Phil checked out, so did that notion,” he said. “We don’t have a bass player who’s been playing with us for 60 years. Phil’s style was unique.”
However, Weir hasn’t ruled out a reunion completely. He suggested that if the band were to reunite, it could be as a trio with just him and the two drummers. “I suppose I could go back out. I wouldn’t put anybody in his place, so it would be me and two drummers,” he explained. “I haven’t thought about it much, but since you asked… it’s a possibility.”
Despite their ups and downs over the years, Weir also shared a touching memory of his final phone call with Lesh. When the band was honored at the Kennedy Center in December 2023, Lesh called Weir just to congratulate him. “That was his entire reason for calling,” Weir recalled. “We were both kind of spun out by it, trying to make sense of it. And we just said, ‘See you there.’ I guess that wasn’t to be.”
While a Grateful Dead reunion remains uncertain, the band’s legacy continues. Dead & Company, featuring Weir, Hart, John Mayer, and others, recently kicked off their 2025 residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas after a hugely successful run last year.
Would you want to see the remaining Grateful Dead members reunite as a trio?