SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — Thousands of people gathered in San Francisco to say goodbye to Grateful Dead co-founder and guitarist Bob Weir on Saturday.
He’s credited with helping craft the band’s unique sound that became synonymous with the 1960s counterculture movement.
The public memorial was free, and happened outside the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco.
“He brought a lot of happiness to a lot of people,” John Ferguson told ABC7’s Cornell Barnard on Friday.
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Ferguson drove from Eugene, Oregon, to San Francisco to be with fellow Deadheads who will pay tribute to Grateful Dead co-founder Bob Weir.
“I’m expecting a lot of friends and family to show up, talking about Bob, how great he was and how he kept it going after Jerry died,” said Ferguson.
Set up is underway, in front of Bill Graham Auditorium, where San Francisco will honor its native son, rock legend, who passed away at the age of 78, from underlying lung issues after beating cancer.
Weir’s family posting:
“This is a free public gathering honoring Bobby, whose music, spirit and humanity shaped generations together. We will pay tribute to the community and the collective heartbeat that he created.”
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“We’re expecting people from all over the Bay Area and the country to come honor and celebrate the life of Bob Weir. It’s going to be a historic moment in our city and history. He’s done so much for our city, it’s a chance to give back to him and his family,” said San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie.
Weir’s family says that before the event, there was procession that traveled three blocks down Market Street between 7th and 9th Streets at about 12:30 p.m.
The public memorial could rival the farewell for Weir’s bandmate, the late Jerry Garcia at the Polo Grounds in Golden Gate Park in the summer of 1995.
The public memorial was called a homecoming, “Celebrating the life of Bobby Weir.” It began at 12:45 p.m. at Civic Center Plaza in front of Bill Graham Auditorium.
You can watch the full service via San Francisco Government TV here.
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