Phil Leshco-founder and bassist Grateful Deaddied.

Hailing from Berkeley, California, 84-year-old Lesh founded the iconic rock band in 1965 with a lead singer and guitarist. Jerry Garciaguitarist Bob Weirkeyboardist Ron “Pigpen” McKernan and the drummer Bill Kreutzmann.

Lesh’s death was announced on Instagram on Friday.

“Phil Lesh, bassist and founding member of The Grateful Dead, died peacefully this morning,” the statement said. “He was surrounded by his family and full of love. “Phil brought great joy to everyone around him and leaves behind a legacy of music and love.”

No cause of death was stated.

Before The Grateful Dead, Lesh was in a band called Palo Alto, California. wizards With Garcia, McKernan, Weir and Kreutzmann. After finding another band with the same name, Garcia changed theirs.

As Rolling Stone and other outlets note, Lesh’s bass guitar he often served as the group’s main voice. He gravitated towards psychedelic vibes and long jam sessions.

When The Grateful Dead ended 1995 to follow the following Garcia’s deathLesh has played with successor bands The Other Ones, The Dead and Furthur (with Weir), as well as his own band Phil Lesh and Friends.

Lesh, who also sings in The Grateful Dead, said:Rain Box” (1970), “Unbreakable Chain” (1974) and “New Potato Peel” (1968).

Lesh has released three Phil Lesh and Friends albums — “Love Will See You”(1999)“There and Again”(2002) and“living in warfield” (2006).