Paul McCartney paid tribute to the late Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir on Thursday with a sentimental Instagram post. “Bob Weir was a great musician who inspired many people of many generations,” he wrote. The lead photo for the post was of McCartney, his Hofner bass in hand, sharing a laugh with Weir when the latter joined McCartney at his 2016 Boston concert, but it turns out that wasn’t the last time they saw each other.
“I last saw Bob when we went to the Sphere in Las Vegas to watch Dead and Co,” McCartney wrote. “He was very welcoming and during the interval in the show he invited us into his trailer, and it was a special moment to meet his family and friends. Bob showed me the recording set up that he had in the back of the bus so even though he was on tour he could make and record music; I offered to play the bass on one of the tracks he played me but unfortunately that never came to pass.”
McCartney went on to say that he found Weir’s sense of humor, friendship, and musicianship inspiring. He sent condolences to Weir’s family.
At the Boston concert, which took place on July 17, 2016, Weir joined McCartney for renditions of Wings’ “Hi, Hi, Hi” and the Beatles’ “Helter Skelter.” The guest appearance marked the first time Weir and McCartney shared a stage. At the time, McCartney celebrated the collaboration with another Instagram post with the phrase, “Grateful Beatle!”
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Weir’s death was confirmed on Saturday. He was 78. “It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of Bobby Weir,” Weir’s family wrote in a statement. A date of death was not immediately available. “He transitioned peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, after courageously beating cancer as only Bobby could. Unfortunately, he succumbed to underlying lung issues.”
“Bobby will forever be a guiding force whose unique artistry reshaped American music,” the statement added. “His work did more than fill rooms with music; it was warm sunlight that filled the soul, building a community, a language, and a feeling of family that generations of fans carry with them. Every chord he played, every word he sang was an integral part of the stories he wove. There was an invitation: to feel, to question, to wander, and to belong.”
