FOUNDING GRATEFUL DEAD band member Bob Weir has died aged 78, it has been announced.

According to a statement on the guitarist and singer’s Instagram page, Weir “succumbed to underlying lung issues” following a battle with cancer.

“It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of Bobby Weir,” the statement said.

“He transitioned peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, after courageously beating cancer as only Bobby could. Unfortunately, he succumbed to underlying lung issues.

“For over sixty years, Bobby took to the road. A guitarist, vocalist, storyteller, and founding member of the Grateful Dead. Bobby will forever be a guiding force whose unique artistry reshaped American music.”

The statement continued: “His loving family, Natascha, Monet, and Chloe, request privacy during this difficult time and offer their gratitude for the outpouring of love, support, and remembrance.

“May we honour him not only in sorrow, but in how bravely we continue with open hearts, steady steps, and the music leading us home.”

Weir joined the Grateful Dead, originally known as the Warlocks, in San Francisco in 1965 when he was 17 years old.

He has been honoured as a Kennedy Centre Honours recipient, with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and as an inductee of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

The Grateful Dead became known for a fusion of genres including rock, jazz and folk which contributed to the countercultural generation of the 1960s, and released the songs Uncle John’s Band, Casey Jones and Touch Of Grey.

In June last year, Weir played his first London show in more than two decades when he took to the stage at the Royal Albert Hall alongside the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra and his band, Wolf Bros.