He was like a dad to me.
He actually showed us all, in a lot of ways, how to live a life.
He kept going and going.
Bill Kreutzmann, Trey Anastasio, Mickey Hart, Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, Jeff Chimenti and Bruce Hornsby during the Fare Thee Well concerts on July 5, 2015 in ChicagoJeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
He just had this inner strength, and he loved to play.
I met Phil in 2005, when I did something called the Jammy Awards, and he co-hosted it.
He did Wharf Rat, its legendary.
Thats almost 20 years ago.
We got to do so many shows.
I did 200 shows with him, and over 100 at the Capitol.
We did Central Park SummerStage.
I did this really cool show with him at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
I got him with Talib Kweli at the Apollo.
He played at Brooklyn Bowl in New York, Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas.
When we opened Brooklyn Bowl Nashville in 2021, he did it.
He just would come in and bless these venues.
He wouldnt do lots of rehearsals.
He wanted to drop in these new performers and these young cats.
He liked them to have to figure it out in real time.
He loved the improvisation that the Grateful Dead were known for.
He was always open to creative ideas.
He was up for exploring where the music could go.
And you see it in these musicians.
He went almost to 85.
His style, I dont know if it can fully be matched by anyone.
Those Phil Lesh bass bombs were completely unique.
I dont think anyone else can do it.
Its been 30 years since a member of the Grateful Dead passed away.
Ive done more shows with him than anyone probably in my life.
And he had a lot of trust in me, which meant a lot.
I mean, I wanted a few more years with him.
I just pulled up the car in front of me, the license plate says CHINA CAT.
