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Grateful Dead photographer Bob Minkin remembers bassist Phil Lesh

Grateful Dead photographer looks back on years of shooting Phil Lesh
Grateful Dead photographer looks back on years of shooting Phil Lesh 05:20

A passionate fan of the Grateful Dead who started taking photos of the band as a hobby but ended up as part of their inner circle on Friday remembered bassist Phil Lesh and the impact the musician had on his life.

Bob Minkin
Grateful Dead photographer Bob Minkin. KPIX

The bassist for one of the most influential bands to ever emerge from the San Francisco Bay Area passed away earlier Friday at the age of 84.

Bob Minkin first saw Lesh and the Dead when he was just a teenager, growing up in New York City.

"Started photographing concerts basically to have a souvenir for my scrapbook. But then as time went on my photos got better, I started getting published," said Minkin.

Minkin's photographs lead him to a career every Deadhead dreams of: working directly with the band, capturing Phil and his bandmates both on stage and behind the scenes.

Phil Lesh photo
Phil Lesh photo taken by Bob Minkin. KPIX

"Here's a shot of him at his home in Ross. His dog Stella, Stella Blue," said Minkin as he looked back at old photographs.

He was so dedicated to following and photographing the band, he moved out to Marin County just to be closer to them.

"It's not a unique story. A lot of people moved out here because of them. And a lot of people are from New York too. It's funny," said Minkin.

What is unique to Bob though is the time and access he was able to get with the band. He photographed Phil and the other bandmates for over 40 years.

"You know this wasn't just like a job or something like that, this was, you know I was a fan. Think of your favorite band you've loved since you were a kid and now you're in their living room and they're asking if you want some coffee or something. So you know it was like a fantasy come true," said Minkin.

That's why when Minkin heard of the bassist's passing, it took a moment for it to really sink in.

"I got a text. I was out to lunch with my daughter in San Rafael and I looked at my phone and I was like...I just put my phone down. We had just got to the restaurant and I didn't want to say anything until after we were done eating," said Minkin.

Minkin was grateful for the many people who reached out to him offering their condolences. He said that in itself shows just how much Lesh meant to so many and the legacy he leaves behind.

It's a legacy Minkin says thankfully will live on forever.

"I like to think of it like a composer. Like Beethoven, for example. You know, he's been gone for hundreds of years, but yet you can hear his music in symphonies throughout the world. I imagine that's the way it is for the Grateful Dead. Their music has become larger than the original band members themselves. It had its own life. Hopefully forever," said Minkin.

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