John Scher, Famed Concert Promoter, Reflects on Decades-Long Collaboration with Bob Weir and the Grateful Dead Legacy
Photo of John Scher
Bob Weir
The loss of Bob Weir has prompted an outpouring of reflection across the entertainment world, with John Scher sharing his personal grief and remembrance
LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, January 12, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Bob Weir, the guitarist and singer who helped define San Francisco’s counterculture in the 1960s as a founding member of the Grateful Dead, has died at age 78, marking the loss of one of rock music’s most enduring and influential figures.
Legendary concert promoter John Scher, founder of Metropolitan Entertainment and a longtime collaborator and friend, expressed deep shock and sadness, noting that following the death of Jerry Garcia, he co-managed Bob Weir alongside Cameron Sears, helped shape the next era of the band’s touring legacy, and led the team responsible for distributing The Grateful Dead Movie.
“I’m stunned,” Scher says. “Bobby was always trying to eat well and worked out religiously, so despite our age, I never gave a thought about his health.”
Weir’s death was announced Saturday in a statement posted to his Instagram page, which says he “transitioned peacefully, surrounded by loved ones,” after “courageously beating cancer,” but later “succumbed to underlying lung issues,” according to AP News. Read here for more information: https://bit.ly/49vrYwt
Weir joined the band, originally known as the Warlocks, in 1965 at just 17. Over the next six decades, he toured extensively and became a cornerstone of the group’s sound, writing or co-writing and singing lead on Grateful Dead classics such as “Sugar Magnolia,” “One More Saturday Night,” and “Mexicali Blues,” AP News reported.
After Jerry Garcia, the lead guitarist, vocalist, and spiritual centerpiece of the Grateful Dead, died in 1995, Weir continued to carry the Band’s musical legacy forward, performing with later incarnations of the band and with projects such as Dead & Company.
Scher reflected on a professional and personal relationship with Weir that stretched back more than five decades.
“I worked with Bobby since the early ’70s with the band and co-managed him after Jerry’s death,” Scher remembers.
Scher emphasizes that Weir’s musical contributions were often undervalued.
“He was underrated as both a rhythm guitarist and especially a songwriter,” he exclaims. “He wrote and sang some of the band’s most epic songs.”
Beyond the music, Scher recounts Weir as someone known for his generosity and approachability. “He was a guy who got along with almost everyone and had time for all in his orbit,” Scher states.
He concludes with a simple farewell:
“I will miss him.”
About John Scher
John Scher is an American concert promoter and the founder of Metropolitan Entertainment, a company known for producing major live music and theatrical events. He was one of the organizers of Woodstock ’99, one of the most prominent and widely discussed music festivals of its era.
In addition to his work in concert promotion, Scher has made a significant impact on Broadway. In 2009, he won the Tony Award for Best Special Theatrical Event for producing Liza’s at the Palace, starring Liza Minnelli, further cementing his reputation as a leading force in both live music and theatrical entertainment.
To learn more about Scher and Metropolitan Entertainment, click here: https://www.metropolitanpresents.com/
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