DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Everything Else... Bob Weir passed away.

I was never a fan of theirs to say but I certainly hate to hear of his passing. I feel badly for all of his fans, friends and family.

It would take my lifetime to thank him and the rest of the GD for all they gave me.
RIP Bobby.
Fare the well.

They certainly had a rabid fan base. I once met a guy who told me he spent a few years in the 70s following them around, making money to support himself by selling small stone carvings outside their shows. He grew up a rock hound.

That story rocks!

I sold grilled cheese, beer and soda, and various ‘other’ things to stay on tour. It often required leaving before the encore so I could get set up for the waves of folks leaving the show. I missed a few songs over the years but doing so made it so I could make it to the next show… and the next show… and the next show.
I was at my poorest, but I was never without a smile.

I heard it said he played rhythm guitar like a piano. Most rhythm players play strummed chords to add texture. Because of Jerry’s meandering style Bobby couldn’t just strum. It’d muddy up whatever Jerry progressed to within that moment. So Bobby had to play sharp, choppy, flicks of the strings. Much like a pianist striking keys. This enabled him to quickly fit himself within Jerry’s meanderings and to change up quickly as Jerry moved.
When I go back and listen to Bobby isolated, you can find such videos on YouTube, you can really get an appreciation for how tricky he had to be as a player to not just stay in the pocket but to also play as a second lead at times with a improvisational madman of a lead on stage with him.
Bobby essentially had to invent a new way to play rhythm guitar. When he was briefly kicked out of the band in ‘68 he worked hard at studying jazz players to help him win his way back into the band. It worked. Listen to him pre ‘68 and post. It’s like two different guys.

What a life. A teenager Bobby wandering the back alleys of San Fran on New Years Eve, too young to find a club to go watch music, hears a banjo being played through the open back door of a music store. There Jerry Garcia sat waiting for a banjo instruction student that never showed up. Instead Bobby entered. They jammed for the first time that night. Started the Warlocks just a month or so later. At just 16 years old Bobby went on to have a magical life from that happenstance meeting on NYE 1963/64.