Grateful Dead, Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann, Mickey Hart & More Share Bill Walton Remembrances

Legendary basketball player and commentator Bill Walton, who was among the most well-known Deadheads, died from cancer on Monday at age 71. Members of the Grateful Dead and many others have shared their memories of Walton.

Walton was outspoken about his affection for the Grateful Dead and its subsequent offshoots, whom he saw in concert over 1,000 times. Walton — who first saw the Dead at age 16 in 1967 — famously traveled to Egypt with the band for their shows in 1978 at the Giza pyramid complex. In 1985, he took his Boston Celtics teammates to see the Grateful Dead at The Centrum in Worcester, Massachusetts.

In 2015, Walton attended the Fare Thee Well: Celebrating 50 Years Of The Grateful Dead concerts in Santa Clara, California and Chicago. Walton also appeared on stage with Dead & Company and numerous Grateful Dead tribute acts. Additionally, Walton performed on percussion with the Electric Waste Band at the 2023 Skull and Roses Festival.

Walton was also passionate about Dead & Company and was a regular attendee of the band’s shows. Dead & Co. guitarist John Mayer appeared on Walton's Throw It Down alternate NBA broadcast in 2023 and talked about the pep talks he received from the basketball great.

“When Bill gives you advice, he looks you dead in the eye and everything stops,” Mayer recalled of Walton’s motivational speeches. “He speaks with this cadence … ‘Go out there. Give it your absolute all. Don’t be shy. They are here to watch you play. Go play to the greatest of your ability.’”

Following word of his death, Mayer wrote about his admiration for Walton, posting:

Mayer’s Dead & Company bandmate, Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart shared his thoughts on Walton, whom he called his “best friend”:

Grateful Dead/Dead & Co guitarist Bob Weir, in typically Bobby parlance, posted in response to Walton’s death:

Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann said he was “heartbroken” over the loss of Walton. Billy wrote an extensive message expressing condolences and sharing memories after learning of Walton’s passing:

Dead & Company called Walton an “irreplaceable force and spirit in our family” in a tribute posted with photos of him towering over crowds at their shows and playing the role of Father Time on New Year’s Eve:

Dead & Company bassist Oteil Burbridge took time to mark Walton’s passing, calling him both a “hero” and a “friend”:

The family of Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia also honored Walton with a tribute:

The official Grateful Dead social media accounts also posted in tribute to Walton, calling his passion for their music “indescribable”:

Scroll on for more tributes to Bill Walton from the world of music and beyond.