‘Music Saved Me:’ Listen to Phil Lesh Narrate His Life Story In a Resurfaced 2005 Audiobook

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The late Phil Lesh will always be known for the contributions he brought to the Grateful Dead, but in his 2005 memoir, “Searching for the Sound: My Life with the Grateful Dead,” the songwriter and musician wrote openly about how the band actually contributed to his musical upbringing too.

It’s been well-documented that Lesh grew up playing violin and trumpet — and he writes in the book about his love for jazz and “big bands” — but the Grateful Dead founding member says it was Jerry Garcia who convinced him to pick up the electric bass, while introducing him to the blend of country, blues, folk and rock that would go on to form the Dead’s signature sound.

A national bestseller was it was first released, Lesh’s memoir has returned to the bestsellers charts following the musician’s passing last week. The artist also narrated the audiobook version of “Searching for the Sound,” which is moving up the Audible charts.

While much has been written about Grateful Dead over the years, fans will want to hear about the band’s experiences from Lesh’s own words — and his own point of view. As the bassist wrote in the book intro, “I was born an only child, but found my true brothers through the art of music,” adding that the bond the band members shared was “thicker than blood.”

Lesh also used his book to detail stories of meeting his personal heroes, Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie, and he wrote about sharing the stage with Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, and the Rolling Stones. Of course, the memoir also offered an honest reflection on the tumoil that has plagued Lesh and the band over the years, from bad management, to addiction issues, to the death of Garcia in 1995.

Still, Lesh concluded, “Music saved me,” adding that it “soothed and transported me during life-threatening illness and surgery, and brought me illimitable joy as I watched thousands of dancers surge and spin to the music flowing through my band.”

Lesh died last Friday at the age of 84. No cause of death was immediately given.