Bassist Rob Wasserman seen during a March 27, 1994, performance. (AP file photo)
Rob Wasserman (April 1, 1952 – June 29, 2016) was an American composer and bass player. A Grammy Award and NEA grant winner, he played and recorded with a wide variety of musicians including Bruce Cockburn, Elvis Costello, Ani di Franco, Jerry Garcia, David Grisman, Rickie Lee Jones, Van Morrison, Aaron Neville, Lou Reed, Pete Seeger, Jules Shear, Studs Terkel, Bob Weir, Brian Wilson, Chris Whitley, Neil Young, Jackson Browne, Laurie Anderson, Stephen Perkins, Banyan, Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo, and Ratdog.
He is best known for his own work on the trilogy of albums, Solo, Duets, and Trios.
Wasserman started playing violin, and graduated to the bass after his teenage years. He studied at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music where he studied composing with John Adams, and double bass with San Francisco Symphony bassists.
Early on, he played with Van Morrison, Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo, and the David Grisman Quintet. His 1983 album, Solo, won Downbeat Magazine’s Record of the Year award. Two subsequent albums, Duets and Trios, saw Wasserman engage with other musicians, such as Bobby McFerrin, Rickie Lee Jones, Cheryl Bentyne, Lou Reed, Stéphane Grappelli, Jerry Garcia, Brian Wilson, Willie Dixon, Branford Marsalis, and Elvis Costello.
Duets was nominated for three Grammy Awards, and won one for “Brothers” with Bobby McFerrin. Wasserman also won Holland’s Edison Award for Record of the Year.
His 2000 album, Space Island, incorporated more contemporary musical elements. RatDog, which he co- founded with Bob Weir from the Grateful Dead, occupied much of his time. He also toured extensively with Lou Reed.
Wasserman was a judge for the sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth annual Independent Music Awards.
Rob Wasserman’s parents are Albert and Dunia, his wife was Veronica, his daughter is Sara, and his siblings are sister Cindy and brother Bruce.
He died June 29, 2016 following a battle with cancer.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Wasserman
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RatDog (sometimes known as The Ratdog Revue, Bob Weir & RatDog or Ratdog) is an American rock band. The group began as a side project for Grateful Dead rhythm guitarist Bob Weir and bassist Rob Wasserman. After the Grateful Dead disbanded in December 1995 following the death of Jerry Garcia on August 9th of that year, RatDog became Bob Weir’s primary band. The band performed until July, 2014. They performed Grateful Dead tunes primarily with a mixture of covers (including Bob Dylan and Chuck Berry songs), along with some originals. RatDog’s repertoire consisted of more than 150 songs.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RatDog
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Other Notable Musicians’ Deaths…
July 2016
5: Alirio Díaz, 92, Venezuelan classical guitarist and composer.
4: William Hawkins, 76, Canadian musician and poet.
2: Renée de Haan (nl), 61, Dutch singer; Teddy Rooney, 66, American actor and musician (The Yellow Payges).
June 2016
30: Franz Cibulka, 69, Austrian composer; Don Friedman, 81, American jazz pianist; Juan Habichuela, 83, Spanish flamenco guitarist.
29: Inocente Carreño, 96, Venezuelan composer; Veena Sahasrabuddhe, 67, Indian singer and composer; Vasyl Slipak, 41, Ukrainian opera singer, shot; Rob Wasserman, 64, American musician (David Grisman Quintet, RatDog, Lou Reed), cancer.