“Every once in a while, there’s a titanic American musician that comes through the ether,” he told Rolling Stone in July 2024, “whether it be Louis Armstrong or James Brown. “In my opinion, Jerry was one of the great American singers,” he told Rolling Stone‘s David Fricke that year. Editor’s picksThere were early conversations about bringing Phil Lesh into the fold for the 60th anniversary shows. “I wouldn’t put anybody in his place, so it would be a trio at this point,” Weir told Rolling Stone‘s Angie Martoccio in March. “I have no doubt about that,” he told Rolling Stone in March.