Bob Weir’s Beautiful Second Act

Bob Weir’s Beautiful Second Act

At a recording studio in Woodstock, New York, Bob Weir was in the midst of making Blue Mountain, a 2016 collection of newfangled cowboy ballads that spoke to one of the Grateful Dead singer-guitarist’s passions, when he paused between takes. Turning to one of the studio’s employees, he said, “I need you to go to the hardware store. We’re going to need a 10 — make it a 15 — pound sledgehammer.”  Producer Josh Kaufman had dealt with plenty of re…