The music world is grappling with the profound loss of Bob Weir, the Grateful Dead's founding member and rhythmic heart. For Aaron Dessner, guitarist and songwriter with The National, Weir's passing marks the end of a deeply personal musical chapter, one that began with childhood fandom and evolved into a cherished creative collaboration.
A Portal to the Dead's Mystical World
Dessner recalls that playing with Weir felt like entering a direct conduit into the Grateful Dead's unique musical landscape. This opportunity crystallised in March 2012 at Weir's TRI studios in Marin County, California. Dessner, alongside his brother Bryce, National bandmates Bryan and Scott Devendorf, Walt Martin of The Walkmen, and producer Josh Kaufman, performed a live-streamed charity set of Grateful Dead songs for HeadCount.
The experience was seminal. Hearing Weir scratch tempos on his guitar – a signature sound familiar from countless bootlegs – sent chills down Dessner's arms. The group aimed to channel the tight, brisk style of the iconic Europe '72 live record, an effort noted by the veteran Grateful Dead crew present. Dessner describes it as a surreal career highlight, a thrilling reminder of why he started making music.
From 'Weirmen' to the Campfire Tour
Weir's generosity with his time and fearless musicality left an indelible mark. Dessner remembers learning hand signals for changing musical modes mid-jam and the moment Weir locked eyes during a rehearsal of Uncle John's Band and asked, "Can you play Jerry's part?" Weir treated the younger musicians as peers, embodying a playful exuberance and a commitment to the Dead's ever-evolving live tradition, where no setlist was ever played the same way twice.
This bond led the group to jokingly dub themselves "the Weirmen." It flourished further when Josh Kaufman produced Weir's 2016 solo album, Blue Mountain, which the Dessners and others played on. They then formed a band for the supporting Campfire Tour, blending Weir's solo material with Grateful Dead classics.
A Legacy Cemented in 'Day of the Dead'
Weir's support was instrumental in the creation of the monumental 2016 tribute, Day of the Dead. Curated by the Dessner brothers, this five-disc, 59-track compilation benefited AIDS charities and featured a staggering array of artists, from indie rock peers to legends like banjoist Béla Fleck. The project revealed the Dead's wide influence, showing that alternative guitar heroes like Sonic Youth's Lee Ranaldo and Pavement's Stephen Malkmus were also lifelong Deadheads.
Aaron Dessner notes that even at six hours long, the collection only scratched the surface of the Grateful Dead's vast canon, a testament to the band's enduring depth. He quotes the Weir-sung classic Cassidy, written with lyricist John Perry Barlow: "Fare thee well now / Let your life proceed by its own design."
While the loss to the global community of Deadheads is immense, Dessner's reflections paint a picture of a spirit that remains vibrantly alive – in the music, the culture, and the generations of artists like him who were welcomed into the fold by a legend who treated them as equals.
