Grateful Dead and the Rolling Stones tour manager Sam Cutler, 80, dies after a nearly decade-long battle with cancer at his home in Brisbane

Sam Cutler, a former tour manager for the Rolling Stones and Grateful Dead, passed away Tuesday at his home in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, after a nearly decade-long battle with cancer.

His death comes as Dead & Company, the current iteration of the Grateful Dead with John Mayer at the helm, are set to play their final show ever in San Francisco tonight.

The band released a statement on Twitter, writing: ‘His spirit, passion & creativity left indelible marks on the Grateful Dead & the world of music.’

Cutler’s long and illustrious career began when he was just 20-years-old and acted as the master of ceremonies for the Rolling Stones free concert in Hyde Park on July 5, 1969.

At the time, he uttered the now infamous phrase,  ‘Ladies and gentlemen, the greatest rock ‘n’ roll band in the world!’

Cutler’s children, Bodhi and Chesley Cutler, shared the news of his death in a statement on his Facebook page. 

‘Sam Cutler, our father, your friend, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Tuesday, July 11, at age 80,’ they wrote. 

‘Our father was first diagnosed with cancer nearly a decade ago, and it is with gratitude that Sam’s family thank the wonderful doctors, nurses, hospital staff and administrators in all hospitals that our father received treatment within.

‘Many people from across our big beautiful world crossed paths with Sam in his life, and many more formed timeless memories with him that are each beautiful encapsulations of the man that he was.

‘Sam would want nothing more [than] for his friends to continue to form timeless memories with whomever they meet, and to share those memories with him in the next life.’

Cutler released his memoir You Can’t Always Get What You Want: My Life with the Rolling Stones, the Grateful Dead and Other Wonderful Reprobates in 2010.

Cutler was born on March 10, 1943 in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England. He worked as a stage manager and master of ceremonies for several gigs throughout the ’60s where he crossed paths with Pink Floyd, Eric Clapton and the Rolling Stones.

He became the road manager for the Stones’ U.S. tour in 1969, which ended with  the tragedy at the Altamont Free Festival in December 1969.

During the show, an 18-year-old fan was stabbed to death by a Hell’s Angel and three other concertgoers also died in accidents leading the event to go down as one of the greatest tragedies in rock n roll. 

Despite this incident which changed the trajectory of both bands, Cutler decided to stay in the U.S. with just $300 in his pocket. 

He grew close to Jerry Garcia and became their tour manager and eventually, the band’s co-manager.

Grateful Dead: He grew close to Jerry Garcia and became their tour manager and eventually, the band’s co-manager

A long life: Cutler was instrumental in the transformation of the Dead from a regular band to one with a culture that revolved around concert tours and fan culture

Manager: His death comes as Dead & Company, the current iteration of the Grateful Dead, are set to play their final show ever in San Francisco tonight

Tribute: The band released a statement on Twitter, writing: ‘His spirit, passion & creativity left indelible marks on the Grateful Dead & the world of music’

Influential: Cutler’s long and illustrious career began when he was just 20-years-old and acted as the master of ceremonies for the Rolling Stones free concert in Hyde Park on July 5, 1969

Cutler was instrumental in the transformation of the Dead from a regular band to one with a culture that revolved around concert tours and fan culture.

‘My career as a tour manager, as it were, didn’t last that long. I was involved for maybe 10, 15 years,’ Cutler told Please Kill Me in 2022. 

‘But at the end of working with the Grateful Dead, I was talking to myself like, “Well, what do you want to do?” I certainly didn’t want to help other people realize their fantasies yet again.’

‘We learned some valuable lessons, not least of which is: provide a stage that’s the right f***ing height so people can’t get on it,’ he said. ‘That’s the major lesson of Altamont.’