WATCH: Bob Weir Covers The Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson Hit, “Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys,” In Rare Video

Tributes and kind words continue to pour in for the late, great Bob Weir.

It was this past weekend that the world found out the founding member of the Grateful Dead had passed away at the age of 78. The singer-songwriter’s official social media page confirmed the heartbreaking news:

“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…
 
His loving family, Natascha, Monet, and Chloe, request privacy during this difficult time and offer their gratitude for the outpouring of love, support, and remembrance. May we honor him not only in sorrow, but in how bravely we continue with open hearts, steady steps, and the music leading us home. Hang it up and see what tomorrow brings.”

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An unfathomable loss for all of the Dead Heads out there.

The post went on to say that Bob Weir was diagnosed with cancer back in July of 2o25, and started treatment just before he and Dead and Company took the stage at Golden Gate Park for a celebration of 60 years of the Grateful Dead’s music. Weir’s family called those three nights of shows “not farewells, but gifts. Another act of resilience. An artist choosing, even then, to keep going by his own design.”

Though the music world has been forced to say goodbye to Bob Weir, his presence and the music that he left behind will forever be present. Artists like Wynonna Judd and Billy Strings both put together posts honoring the life and legacy of the Grateful Dead founder, and never-before-seen performances from Weir have even started to pop up online.

Like this one of Weir covering Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings’ “Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys.”

This footage was apparently captured at a small charity event in Laguna Beach. Weir was known for being a very charitable man, and it didn’t matter how big or how small it was… he always showed up. From what it looks like, this was a very intimate setting, and the “Sugar Magnolia” singer decided to treat those who were in attendance with a little country music cover.

To be clear, the Grateful Dead wasn’t ever considered country, but the band did toe the line on occasion, and were known to work country music covers into their set lists. For this small, solo performance, Weir went with an all-time classic from the country genre.

Now, I don’t want to get caught up in the weeds on this one… but you’ll hear Weir in the video say that this one was written by Willie Nelson. The song was actually penned by a country artist by the name of Ed Bruce, and released in 1975, three years before Nelson and Jennings covered it and made the track a massive success.

Most people just know it as a song of Willie Nelson’s, and that’s likely why Weir introduced it as such:

Those people in that room had no idea how lucky they were to have a personal, front row seat to a performance by the legendary artist.

RIP Bob Weir… even with the full life that he led, he’s gone far too soon.The post WATCH: Bob Weir Covers The Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson Hit, “Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys,” In Rare Video first appeared on Whiskey Riff.