Phish’s Trey Anastasio, who performed alongside Phil Lesh at both the Grateful Dead’s Fare Thee Well shows and Phil and Friends concerts, paid tribute to the bassist Friday following Lesh’s death at the age of 84.
“I was deeply saddened to hear that my friend Phil Lesh passed away this morning,” Anastasio wrote on social media. “Phil was more than a revolutionary, groundbreaking bass player—he transformed how I thought about music as a teenager. I have countless memories of standing in awe, listening to his winding, eloquent bass lines blending seamlessly with Jerry and Bobby’s guitars, Brent Mydland’s keys, and the thunderous drums of Billy and Mickey. I’m so grateful for those beautiful memories.”
Anastasio, whose jam band Phish were deeply indebted to the Dead and the following they cultivated, first shared the stage with Lesh in April 1999, when he and Phish keyboardist Page McConnell guested at a Phil and Friends show in the Dead’s native San Francisco.
“When I first played with Phil in 1999, I discovered that beyond being an astounding musician, he was a truly kind and wonderful man,” the guitarist wrote. “I cherish the memories of playing with him, sharing meals and laughs together, visiting his home, and getting to know him as a friend.”
Anastasio, filling in for the late Jerry Garcia, also took part in the Dead’s final concerts — and the last time they performed with Lesh in the lineup — at the Fare Thee Well shows in Chicago and Santa Clara, California in 2015.
“The Fare Thee Well shows were particularly special, with so many family members and lifelong friends backstage, sharing those precious moments together,” Anastasio added.
Lesh’s death was announced Friday; no cause of death was provided. “Phil Lesh, bassist and founding member of the Grateful Dead, passed peacefully this morning,” a statement on social media read. “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.”
