Grateful Dead Bassist Phil Lesh Diagnosed With Bladder Cancer

He says he will have the tumors removed – but feels “very fortunate” that that doctors feel the tumors aren’t aggressive and that there’s no sign they have spread.

In a statement, Lesh gave more insight into his condition.

Unfortunately, that means I will have to cancel the PLF shows scheduled for October 24/25. The concerts will be rescheduled.

Following the disbanding, Lesh played with offshoot outfits The Dead and The Other Ones, as well as founding namesake outfit Phil Lesh & Friends, with whom he remains active.

He said that due to his illness he was canceling a pair of Phil Lesh & Friends shows slated for Oct. 25 and Oct. 26 at Terrapin Crossroads, which were going to feature Chris Robinson from defunct group the Black Crowes.

See Lesh’s full Facebook post below. He said he has spent the last few weeks at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona, doing tests ahead of surgery to remove the tumors.

In 1998 Lesh underwent a liver transplant after a hepatitis C infection – after which he has regularly used his concerts as a platform to encourage fans to become organ donors.

Lesh was part of the Grateful Dead’s Fare Thee Well concerts in Chicago, Illinois to celebrate their 50th anniversary earlier this year, with President Barack Obama describing them as “an iconic American band”. Former members of the group include Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann, Mickey Hart, Ron “Pigpen” McKernan, Robert Hunter, Tom Constanten, Keith Godchaux, Donna Jean Godchaux, Brent Mydland, and Vince Welnick.

The surviving band founders – with the sole exception of Lesh – have nonetheless planned a nationwide tour starting on October 29, calling themselves Dead and Company after retiring the Grateful Dead name. Now, he regularly performs at the Terrapin Crossroads restaurant in San Rafael, California.