Phil Lesh & Friends

Biography

Phil Lesh & Friends was an American rock band formed and led by Phil Lesh, the former bassist of the Grateful Dead. The group was not a fixed ensemble but rather a rotating collective of musicians, allowing for a wide range of musical styles and collaborations. The first Phil Lesh & Friends concert took place in 1994 at the Berkeley Community Theatre, featuring Lesh alongside Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, and Vince Welnick, but the band was revived in 1998 with a new rotating lineup. Over the years, Phil Lesh & Friends became known for its improvisational jam band style, blending Grateful Dead classics with new material and covers, often featuring guest musicians from prominent jam and rock bands. The group released its only studio album, 'There and Back Again,' in 2002, which included songs written by Lesh and longtime Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter, as well as contributions from other collaborators. Phil Lesh & Friends played a vital role in keeping the Grateful Dead’s musical legacy alive, especially after Garcia’s death in 1995, and continued to perform until Lesh’s passing in 2024.

Fun Facts

• Phil Lesh & Friends featured a rotating lineup, with musicians from bands like Phish, the Black Crowes, and the Allman Brothers Band.
• The group’s only studio album, 'There and Back Again,' was released in 2002 and included songs written by Lesh and Robert Hunter.
• Phil Lesh & Friends performed a series of instrumental numbers inspired by the Solar System during their 2001 summer tour.
• Phil Lesh & Friends played a run of 14 shows in 19 days at the Nokia Theatre Times Square in New York City in 2008, known as 'Philathon'.

Members

• Rob Barraco - keyboard (from 2000 until 2003)
• Ryan Adams - additional
• Larry Campbell
• Warren Haynes
• Jimmy Herring
• Grahame Lesh - lead vocals
• Grahame Lesh - guitar
• Phil Lesh
• Page McConnell
• Steve Molitz
• John Molo
• Joan Osborne
• Greg Osby
• Chris Robinson
• Barry Sless

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Jerry Garcia - Lesh was invited by Garcia to join the Warlocks, which became the Grateful Dead (Grateful Dead) [1965–1995]
• Charles Ives - Lesh introduced the Grateful Dead to Ives’s avant-garde compositions, influencing their improvisational style (Grateful Dead) [1960s–1990s]

Key Collaborators

• Warren Haynes - Frequent guitarist and vocalist with Phil Lesh & Friends (Phil Lesh & Friends) [1999–2000]
• Trey Anastasio - Guitarist and frequent collaborator, notably in 1999 and 2006 (Phil Lesh & Friends) [1999, 2006]
• Larry Campbell - Multi-instrumentalist and core member in 2006 and 2007–2008 lineups (Phil Lesh & Friends) [2006–2008]
• Joan Osborne - Vocalist in the 2006 lineup (Phil Lesh & Friends) [2006]
• Rob Barraco - Keyboardist and vocalist, core member in multiple lineups (Phil Lesh & Friends) [1999–2000, 2006]
• John Molo - Drummer in multiple lineups (Phil Lesh & Friends) [1999–2000, 2006–2008]
• Derek Trucks - Guitarist, guest performer (Phil Lesh & Friends) [1999]
• Bill Payne - Keyboardist and vocalist, frequent collaborator (Phil Lesh & Friends) [1999–2000]
• Paul Barrere - Guitarist and vocalist, frequent collaborator (Phil Lesh & Friends) [1999–2000]
• Jimmy Herring - Guitarist, guest performer (Phil Lesh & Friends) [2000]
• Steve Kimock - Guitarist, guest performer (Phil Lesh & Friends) [1999]
• John Scofield - Guitarist, guest performer (Phil Lesh & Friends) [2006]
• Barry Sless - Pedal steel guitarist, guest performer (Phil Lesh & Friends) [2006]
• Teresa Williams - Vocalist, core member in 2007–2008 lineup (Phil Lesh & Friends) [2007–2008]
• Jackie Greene - Vocalist and guitarist, core member in 2007–2008 lineup (Phil Lesh & Friends) [2007–2008]
• Steve Molitz - Keyboardist, core member in 2007–2008 lineup (Phil Lesh & Friends) [2007–2008]

Artists Influenced

• Members of Phish - Phish members frequently collaborated with Phil Lesh & Friends and were influenced by Lesh’s improvisational style (Phish, Phil Lesh & Friends) [1999–2006]
• Members of The String Cheese Incident - Members of The String Cheese Incident collaborated with Phil Lesh & Friends and were influenced by Lesh’s jam band approach (The String Cheese Incident, Phil Lesh & Friends) [1999–2000]
• Members of Moe - Members of Moe collaborated with Phil Lesh & Friends and were influenced by Lesh’s improvisational style (Moe, Phil Lesh & Friends) [1999–2000]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Liberty (There and Back Again)
2. St Stephen (feat. The Derek Trucks Band) - Live Version (There and Back Again)
3. Night of a Thousand Stars (feat. Warren Haynes) (There and Back Again)
4. No More Do I (There and Back Again)
5. Tennessee Jed (Warren Haynes Presents: The Benefit Concert Vol. 3)
6. Patchwork Quilt (There and Back Again)
7. Midnight Train (There and Back Again)
8. Passenger (There and Back Again)
9. The Real Thing (feat. Warren Haynes) (There and Back Again)
10. Celebration (There and Back Again)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #jam-band, #proper-group