Wyoming native John Perry Barlow, an internet activist and former lyricist for the Grateful Dead, has died.
The digital-rights group Electronic Frontier Foundation said in a statement that Barlow died early Wednesday morning in his sleep at age 70. The cause of death was not immediately known.
Barlow, who grew up on a ranch near Pinedale, Wyoming, co-founded the EFF in 1990 to champion free expression and privacy online.
EFF says that Barlow, “always saw the internet as a fundamental place of freedom, where voices long silenced can find an audience and people can connect with others regardless of physical distance.”
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He also wrote lyrics for Grateful Dead songs including “Black Throated Wind” and “Blow Away,” among others. He also co-wrote “Cassidy” with Grateful Dead founding member Bob Weir.