Zach Bryan has shared that Samantha Leonard gave him one of Bob Weir’s guitars as a wedding present only days before the Grateful Dead co-founder died.
At a Glance
- Leonard presented Bryan with Weir’s touring telecaster on their wedding day
- Weir died at 78 on Jan. 10, two days before Bryan’s Instagram post
- The couple wed in Spain on New Year’s Eve
- Why it matters: The gift now carries added emotional weight for the singer-songwriter
Bryan posted the revelation on Instagram Monday, Jan. 12, alongside a tribute to Weir.
“Rest in peace to Bob Weir. That guy f–kn rocked,” the 29-year-old “Pink Skies” singer wrote. “The day Sammy and me got hitched she gave me a present and I opened it and it was his telecaster from all his days on the road. We all love you and we will all miss you.”
Weir’s team announced his death via Instagram on Saturday, Jan. 10.
“It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of Bobby Weir. He transitioned peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, after courageously beating cancer as only Bobby could. Unfortunately, he succumbed to underlying lung issues,” the statement read.
The announcement added that Weir, diagnosed in July, began treatment weeks before performing three nights at Golden Gate Park to celebrate 60 years of music.
“Those performances, emotional, soulful, and full of light, were not farewells, but gifts. Another act of resilience. An artist choosing, even then, to keep going by his own design.”
Bryan coupled his Weir tribute with news of an acoustic release of With Heaven on Top.
“This one’s for all the weird audiophiles that no matter how much I put into a record will always miss just a guitar & me. Like I said it’s just me n a room with a mic and guitar and a very pretty girl and a very small dog,” he wrote, alluding to Leonard.
He noted that, had the acoustic album not already been scheduled for release that day, he “would have left this alone and let the world be” following Weir’s death.
Bryan and Leonard exchanged vows in Spain on Dec. 31. After online footage showed the couple driving off in a “Just Married”-decorated car, Bryan confirmed the marriage on Instagram with photos of Leonard in a strapless white gown and a clip of him covering Bruce Springsteen’s “Tougher Than the Rest” at the reception.
Earlier, on Jan. 5, Bryan revealed another wedding detail: Leonard’s dress included lace from his late mother’s wedding gown.
“Samantha went out of her way to put my mom’s wedding dress lace on her dress, and I cried for a good bit,” he wrote on Instagram Stories. “Meant so much sweetheart, thank you.”
He followed the post with a photo of his mother, Annette, who died in 2016, captioned: “Wish you were here about now gorgeous.”
Bryan’s prior marriage to Rose Madden ended in 2021. He later dated Deb Peifer, Brianna “Chickenfry” LaPaglia, and Hannah Duncan.
In November 2024, LaPaglia accused Bryan of emotional abuse on the BFFs podcast, claiming he offered her $12 million and a house for her silence. Bryan has not publicly addressed the allegations.
Key Takeaways
- The telecaster gift links Bryan’s wedding to Weir’s legacy just before the rocker’s death
- Weir’s final concerts embodied his resilient spirit, according to his team’s statement
- Bryan’s acoustic album release coincided with his public remembrance of Weir
