What was Phil Lesh's Net Worth?
Phil Lesh was an American rock musician who had a net worth of $60 million at the time of his death. Phil Lesh died on October 25, 2024, at the age of 84.
Phil Lesh was best known as the bassist and founding member of the Grateful Dead. He played with the band from 1965 to 1995. His innovative approach to bass playing, influenced by classical and jazz training, helped define the band's distinctive sound. Rather than simply providing rhythm, Lesh developed a melodic, counterpoint style that functioned more like a third lead instrument alongside Jerry Garcia's guitar and Bob Weir's rhythm guitar.
Before the Dead, Lesh studied trumpet and music composition at the College of San Mateo and UC Berkeley. He had no prior experience on bass when Jerry Garcia invited him to join the Warlocks (soon renamed the Grateful Dead), but his musical background helped him develop his unique style. After Jerry Garcia's death in 1995 and the end of the Grateful Dead, Lesh continued performing. He formed Phil Lesh and Friends in 1998, a rotating group of musicians that has included notable artists like Warren Haynes, John Scofield, and John Mayer. He's also performed with Bob Weir in Furthur (2009-2014) and various other projects. Lesh faced health challenges, including a liver transplant in 1998, but remained active in music well into his 80s, continuing to perform and celebrate the Grateful Dead's legacy.
Early Life and Education
Phil Lesh was born on March 15, 1940, in Berkeley, California. He was heavily involved in music growing up, starting as a violin player before switching to trumpet at Berkeley High School. Studying under conductor Bob Hansen, Lesh became interested in avant-garde classical music and free jazz. He went on to attend San Francisco State University, but after being unable to land a good position in the school's band or orchestra, he decided to drop out. Lesh eventually made his way back to school, enrolling at the College of San Mateo. There, he wrote charts for the school's big band and secured the position of first trumpet chair. Lesh subsequently transferred to the University of California, Berkeley, where he spent less than a semester before dropping out.
Career Beginnings
After dropping out of Berkeley, Lesh had a number of odd jobs. He worked at the US Post Office Department and marked keno sheets in Las Vegas, and also did a stint at the Post Office in San Francisco.
The Grateful Dead
In early 1965, Lesh co-founded the Grateful Dead with Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, Ron McKernan, and Bill Kreutzmann. Originally called the Warlocks, the band was composed of musicians who had played together in various ensembles in the Bay Area. There were a number of lineup changes over the years, with members such as Mickey Hart, Robert Hunter, and Tom Constanten being among the first to join. Although he became the bassist for the Grateful Dead, Lesh had ironically never before played the instrument. He learned as he went, taking inspiration from such artists as Jack Bruce, Cream, and Charles Mingus, as well as from the concept of Bach counterpoint. The Grateful Dead went on to become one of the most iconic bands of the counterculture movement in the late 1960s and into the 70s. During that time, the band released such albums as "Anthem of the Sun," "Workingman's Dead," "American Beauty," "Europe '72," "Wake of the Flood," "From the Mars Hotel," and "Blues for Allah."
Although McKernan passed away in 1973, the Grateful Dead continued recording and performing until 1995. The band had its biggest commercial success with its 1987 album "In the Dark," which peaked at number six on the Billboard 200 and launched the hit single "Touch of Grey." After releasing its final studio album, "Without a Net," in 1990, the Dead began releasing retrospective live albums. The band remains notable for its eclectic style, blending aspects of rock, folk, jazz, bluegrass, gospel, and psychedelia, among other influences. Additionally, the Dead achieved renown for its live performances featuring lengthy instrumental jams. Due to these and other characteristics, it amassed a devoted following of fans known as "Deadheads." Despite having had only one top-40 single in its entire 30-year run, the band was among the highest-grossing American touring acts for many decades. In 1994, the Dead was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
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The Other Ones
A few years after the disbanding of the Grateful Dead, Lesh formed the band the Other Ones with fellow former Dead members Bob Weir and Mickey Hart. In 2000, Lesh dropped out, and another Dead alum, Bill Kreutzmann, stepped in. With the Other Ones, Lesh released the live album "The Strange Remain," which was recorded on the Furthur Festival tour in 1998.
Phil Lesh and Friends
In late 1994, Lesh began performing under the name Phil Lesh and Friends, an acoustic version of the Grateful Dead featuring him, Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, and Vince Welnick. The band got back together in 1998 with a rotating retinue of musicians. Phil Lesh and Friends went on to release three albums between 1999 and 2006: the live albums "Love Will See You Through" and "Live at the Warfield" and the studio album "There and Back Again."
Furthur
After touring with the other remaining members of the Grateful Dead in 2009, Lesh co-founded the band Furthur with Bob Weir. The original lineup also consisted of John Kadlecik, Jeff Chimenti, Jay Lane, and Joe Russo. An improvisational jam band, Furthur predominantly played music from the Grateful Dead songbook, with some original music and other covers thrown in. The band was active until 2014.
Other Endeavors
Among his other endeavors, Lesh penned the memoir "Searching for the Sound: My Life with the Grateful Dead" in 2005. Later, in 2012, he founded the music venue Terrapin Crossroads in San Rafael, California. The venue closed in late 2021 when Lesh's lease expired.
Personal Life
With his wife Jill, Lesh has two sons named Grahame and Brian, both of whom are also musicians. Lesh and his wife run a charitable organization called the Unbroken Chain Foundation.
Lesh has struggled with his health for a few decades. In 1998, he had a liver transplant as a result of hepatitis C, and in 2006 was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Lesh beat the disease late in the year. He also beat bladder cancer in 2015.
Real Estate
Like many San Francisco hippies, Phil and his band-mates migrated north to upscale Marin County, California, in the 1970s and 1980s. Phil and his family settled in the town of Ross, which is one of Marin's most expensive zip codes.
In 2002, Phil paid $9.35 million for a home in Ross. He listed this home for sale in April 2016 for $10.35 million and ultimately accepted $9.925 million in June of 2016. Here is a video tour of Phil's former Ross home, AKA "The Bridge Home":
In 2017, Phil paid $4.35 million for a 16.5-acre property in Ross called Stag's Lair. It's one of the largest private estates in the area. Phil and his wife also own a home in a gated beach community called Sea Drift, about 30 minutes west of Ross.
