Phil Lesh, bassist and co-founder of US rock band the Grateful Dead, has died aged 84.

His death on Friday was confirmed in a post to his official Instagram account.

It read: "Phil Lesh, bassist and founding member of The Grateful Dead, passed peacefully this morning. He was surrounded by his family and full of love.

"Phil brought immense joy to everyone around him and leaves behind a legacy of music and love. We request that you respect the Lesh family's privacy at this time."

Cause of death

The cause of death is unknown as of now. Lesh had previously survived bouts of prostate cancer, bladder cancer, and a liver transplant in 1998.

His death means Bob Weir and Bill Kreutzmann are the only two remaining survivors from the original line-up of the band.

The group disbanded after lead singer Jerry Garcia died in 1995 at a drug rehabilitation clinic aged 53, while Ron McKernan had died of liver disease in 1973.

Grateful Dead. Trade ad for the album "American Beauty" in 1970. From left to right: Bill Kreutzmann, Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, and Phil Lesh. Photo: Alamy.

Later members to have died are Brent Myland, who suffered an overdose in 1990, and Keith Godchaux - who was killed in a car crash in 1980 after he left the group.

The band came to define the acid rock sound emanating from San Francisco in the 1960s.

Lesh wrote the music for the popular Grateful Dead track Unbroken Chain - which reflects on the band's connection with its audience.

He also sang the wistful Box Of Rain in 1970, which he wrote while his father was dying.