Grateful Dead Songwriter John Perry Barlow Dies

John Perry Barlow, lyricist for the Grateful Dead and Internet activist, died at his home in San Francisco Feb. 7. He was 70. 

AP Photo/Richard Drew, File – John Perry Barlow
EFF co-founder John Perry Barlow communicates with former NSA contractor Edward Snowden via video during the Personal Democracy Forum in NYC in this June 5, 2014, file photo.

The cause of death was not revealed but the Wyoming native had reportedly been dealing with a variety of illnesses since 2015, according to the Electronic Frontier Foundation website. 

Barlow co-wrote several songs with the Dead’s Bob Weir including “Mexicali Blues,” “Black Throated Wind,” “Bombs Away,” “Cassidy,” “Lost Sailor” and “Lazy Lightning.”  He also penned songs for Burning Spear and The String Cheese Incident.   

Barlow co-founded the EFF in 1990 to promote online privacy and free expression in cyberspace.