In 1969, Lesh was playing a stock Guild Starfire. In the process, the iconic guitar company Alembic was formed. Wickersham’s focus extended from the groundbreaking use of PA equipment to the instruments themselves. Wickersham and his wife, Susan had been enlisted by Grateful Dead sound man Owsley “Bear” Stanley to run Alembic, an electronics company set up to accommodate the growing live sound needs of the band. He briefly played a Gibson EB-3 before diving headfirst into modded gear.Ī crucial figure in this period was the self-taught electronic engineer Ron Wickersham. Like many of his contemporaries, Lesh started out on a Gibson EB-0, before moving onto a Fender Precision Bass in 1968. In particular, Lesh is forever linked to the origins of Alembic Inc. In many ways, his gear journey mirrors the development of the electric bass guitar. Lesh was an early adopter of both active electronics and extended range bass. Lesh’s approach to bass gear follows the inquisitive nature of his playing. Like many of his Grateful Dead band members, Lesh’s various eras of tone are revered and studied. In many instances, Lesh’s parts intertwined with Garcia’s lead guitar as a psuedo second guitar. His melodic and probing lines provided both harmonic support and exploration of the ‘Dead’s material. Lesh’s background as a classically trained trumpeter, in addition to studying composition in the incredible hotbed of the Berkley Music School in the early 1960’s, made a profound impact on his bass playing. Its ever rotating roster has featured dozens of amazing musicians such as Derek Trucks, Warren Haynes, Robben Ford and John Mayer to name but a few.
Phil Lesh and Friends was formed in 1994. Lesh continued on in various incarnations of the group such as ‘The Other Ones’ and ‘The Dead’ and performed at The Grateful Dead’s 50 year reunion shows in 2015. Lesh played bass with the ‘Dead for its duration of 1965-1995, until Jerry Garcia’s death and subsequent disbanding. The band formed in 1965 and virtually wrote the book on East Coast psychedelic jam rock, fusing folk, rock, country and space-rock influences with ease. As a founding member of The Grateful Dead, Phil Lesh has left an indelible mark on contemporary music.
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