Nobody saw it coming. Back in 2015, if you told a grizzled Deadhead that the "Your Body Is a Wonderland" guy would eventually become the custodian of the Grateful Dead’s cosmic legacy, they’d have laughed you out of the parking lot. Yet, here we are in 2026, and John Mayer Dead and Company isn't just a side project—it’s the definitive vessel for this music’s survival.
The recent passing of Bob Weir on January 10, 2026, has shifted the ground beneath everyone's feet. Bobby was the bridge. He was the guy who stood next to Jerry, the one who "trained" Mayer in the "ways of the Jedi," as some fans like to say. Now that the bridge is gone, the conversation has changed from "How long will this last?" to "Can John Mayer actually carry this torch alone?"
The Sphere and the Turning Point
The residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas changed everything for the band. If the 2023 "Final Tour" was a goodbye to the road, the 2024 and 2025 "Dead Forever" runs were a hello to a new kind of existence.
They weren't just playing songs; they were building worlds.
The Sphere’s 160,000-square-foot LED screen allowed Mayer and Weir to visualize the music in ways that made the old liquid light shows of the 60s look like a middle school science project. John was deeply involved in the storyboarding for those shows. He wasn't just a hired gun on guitar; he was an architect of the experience.
During the 2025 run, the band hit a stride that felt different. It was looser. Mayer’s playing had moved past the "Jerry impersonator" stage—a critique he faced for years—and into something more authentic. He started using the PRS Super Eagle II, a guitar specifically designed with Paul Reed Smith to handle the weird, complex switching required for Dead tunes.
Why the "Pop Star" Label Never Fit
People love to bring up Mayer’s pop past. Honestly, it’s a lazy argument. By the time John joined Dead and Company, he had already been validated by Eric Clapton and B.B. King. The guy is a blues prodigy who happened to have a massive pop career.
In Dead & Company, he found the community he’d been looking for. He famously said he was just an "interpreter of a master," referring to Jerry Garcia. That humility is what eventually won over the skeptics. You don't spend ten years learning 150+ songs and obsessing over 1977-era tone just for a "career experiment."
Life After Bobby: What Happens Now?
The big question for 2026 is whether Dead and Company can—or should—continue without Bob Weir. Bobby was the rhythm, the snarl, and the heartbeat. He and John developed a "telepathic relationship" on stage.
🔗 Read more: Dogs Playing Poker: Why This Lowbrow Art Refuses to Die
There are a few ways this could go:
- The "Mayer at the Helm" Route: John takes over as the primary bandleader. He’s already accepted by the community, and with Mickey Hart still behind the kit, the "authentic" DNA of the Grateful Dead remains.
- The Studio Pivot: Before Bobby passed, there were whispers of the band finally going into the studio. Imagine John Mayer and Bob Weir’s final recordings being original material. It would be the first "new" Dead-adjacent music in decades.
- The Torch Passing: Names like Billy Strings or Grahame Lesh (Phil's son) are always floating around. Could one of them step into the second guitar slot?
Mayer himself is currently in "album mode" for his solo career, telling Rolling Stone he’s cleared his 2026 schedule to focus on his own music. But he’s also said he would "never close the door on Dead & Company, ever."
The Legacy of the 60th Anniversary
The three-night run at Golden Gate Park in August 2025 was the unofficial finale of the Weir/Mayer era. It was cold, foggy, and perfect. Watching them play "Brokedown Palace" as a closer felt like a period at the end of a very long, beautiful sentence.
💡 You might also like: Dune: What the Harkonnen Black Bath Is Actually For
Most people thought the music would stop when Jerry died. Then they thought it would stop after Fare Thee Well in 2015. But John Mayer proved that this music is a living thing. It doesn't belong to one person; it belongs to the people who are willing to do the work to keep it spinning.
What to do next
If you're a fan trying to navigate this new era of the Dead universe, here is how to stay connected:
- Revisit the 2025 Sphere Tapes: The audio from the final residency is widely considered some of Mayer’s best improvisational work. Look for the "Box of Rain" tribute—it's a heavy moment.
- Watch the "Dead Forever" Documentary: Rumors of a high-definition concert film from the Sphere are circulating for a late 2026 release. It's the best way to see the visuals you might have missed.
- Follow the "Side Quests": Keep an eye on Oteil Burbridge and Jeff Chimenti. They are the "secret sauce" of Dead & Company and often tour with their own projects (Oteil & Friends) between major runs.
- Listen to Mayer’s SiriusXM Channel: "Life with John Mayer" often features him deep-diving into the theory behind the Dead’s jams, which gives you a great look at his mindset.
The long strange trip isn't over. It’s just changing shapes again.