Phish remembered Phil Lesh during the opening concert of the group’s fall tour.

Hours after Lesh’s death on Friday (Oct. 25), the jam band legends paid tribute to the late bassist with a cover of the Grateful Dead‘s “Box of Rain” at MVP Arena in Albany, N.Y.

The performance marked the first time Phish has covered “Box of Rain.” Guitarist Trey Anastasio previously played the 1970 track with Lesh during one of the Grateful Dead’s Fare Thee Well shows in 2015, according to Rolling Stone.

Watch Phish’s cover of the Grateful Dead’s “Box of Rain” here.

Lesh, a founding member and longtime bassist for the Grateful Dead, passed away Friday at the age of 84. As one of the co-founders and longest-tenured members of the group, he was an essential part of a group that became synonymous with touring and live performance in rock music.

No cause of death was given at the time of publication.

Prior to Phish’s concert, Anastasio shared a heartfelt remembrance to Lesh, whom he shared the stage with on various occasions.

“Phil was more than a revolutionary, groundbreaking bass player—he transformed how I thought about music as a teenager,” Anastasio wrote on Instagram. “I have countless memories of standing in awe, listening to his winding, eloquent bass lines blending seamlessly with Jerry and Bobby’s guitars, Brent Mydland’s keys, and the thunderous drums of Billy and Mickey. I’m so grateful for those beautiful memories.”

Grateful Dead will be honored as the 2025 MusiCares Persons of the Year. The 34th annual Persons of the Year benefit gala will be held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, two nights before the 67th annual Grammy Awards at Crypto.com Arena.

From career milestones to new music releases to major announcements and those little important moments, Billboard editors highlight uplifting moments in Latin music. Here’s what happened in the Latin music world this week.

Selena’s Legacy Endures

At the top of the week, President Joe Biden presented the 2022 and 2023 National Medals of Honor and National Humanities Medals during a ceremony held Monday (Oct. 21) at the East Room in the White House  followed by a reception. The National Medals of Art honorees included the late Queen of Tex-Mex, Selena Quintanilla, in addition to Steven Spielberg, Alex Katz, Jo Carole Lauder, Mark Bradford, Spike Lee, Queen Latifah, and Bruce Cohen. 

“We are excited to announce that Selena will be honored with the prestigious National Medal of Arts by President Biden and Dr. Jill Biden at the White House this evening. This remarkable achievement celebrates Selena’s enduring impact on her music and legacy,” read the official announcement on Selena’s Instagram account. Her sister and Los Dinos member, Suzette Quintanilla, accepted the medal on her behalf. 

Erika Ender’s TalenPro Gala

TalenPro 2024’s Grand Finale took place this week, celebrating eight finalists on their artistic performance and social impact through the restoration and equipping of 12 inclusive educational centers across Panama. Erika Ender, creator of TalenPro and president of Fundación Puertas Abiertas, announced at the event that more than 8,000 Panamanians were benefited throughout the TalenPro 2024 process. 

This year’s jury included Carlos Ponce, Karina Banda, Johnny Lozada, and Andy Clay, among others. Each of the winners—in categories such as best song, best dance group, and best audiovisual, to name a few—received a full university scholarship, in accordance with IFARHU regulations. Other prizes included a new car to the tutor teacher of the year. Special tributes of the evening went out to Milly Quezada, Debi Nova, and boxer Roberto Dúran. 

According to a press statement, TalenPro (TALENt with PURPOse) is a Guinness World Records holder for “being the Largest Social/Global Development Project Competition. It is an annual student competition that promotes talent and purpose among the youth of Panama.” See Ender’s heartfelt post here.

Karol G Re-Opens a School

In other uplifting news, Karol G’s foundation, “Con Cora,” reopened the Colegio Arenys de Mar school in Medellin after two years of restoration and beautification efforts. In December 2022, the school suffered severe damage due to heavy rains that caused the collapse of the retention wall next to the Iguaná stream. With the help of the community, the foundation successfully  reconstructed the school’s infrastructure that includes a new retention wall, renovated classrooms, remodeled bathrooms, and a new playground. 

“I am proud to be part of this project and to contribute to positive change in a community so close to my heart,” expressed Karol G, in a statement. The Colombian artist was in attendance at the inaugural event. “A quality education is key for children to pursue their dreams. I hope each student remains curious, because education not only opens doors but also transforms lives,” she said. 

A Heartfelt Tribute to Liam Payne

Five artists from Ecuador have joined forces to pay tribute to the late Liam Payne, just days after his unexpected passing. In a collaboration post on Instagram, Johan Vera, Mar Rendon, Ñusta Picuasi, Ren Kai, and Johnta are beautifully harmonizing to One Direction’s “Story of My Life.” “Rest in Peace, Liam Payne,” notes the caption alongside a heart emoji. Payne died on Oct. 16 at age 31 after falling from a third-floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He is survived by his 7-year-old son, Bear, whom he shares with ex-partner Cheryl Cole. 

Beyoncé is standing beside Kamala Harris leading up to Election Day on Nov. 5.

The 32-time Grammy winner took the stage alongside her Destiny’s Child bandmate and childhood friend Kelly Rowland at the Democratic presidential nominee’s rally in their hometown of Houston, Texas, on Friday night (Oct. 25), where they endorsed the Harris-Walz ticket and urged their fellow Texans to do the same.

“H-Town!” Beyoncé said to rapturous cheers when she took the mic. “We are so happy to be standing here on this stage as proud, country, Texas women supporting and celebrating the one and only Vice President Kamala Harris. A woman who’s been pushing for what this country really needs right now: unity. It’s impossible not to feel the energy in this room, the positivity, the community, the humanity. We are at the precipice of an incredible shift. The brink of history.

“I’m not here as a celebrity,” she added. “I’m not here as a politician. I’m here as a mother. A mother who cares, deeply, about the world my children and all of our children live in. A world where we have the freedom to control our bodies. A world where we’re not divided. Our past, our present, our future merge to meet us here.”

Bey spoke to “all the men and women in this room, and watching around the country,” telling them: “We need you. Your voice has power and magnitude. Your vote is one of the most valuable tools, and we need you. Your freedom is your god-given right, your human right. Everybody say Texas! Texas plays a pivotal role to change the course of our future.”

The superstar then leaned into her music roots to wrap her speech, saying, “It’s time to sing a new song. A song that began 248 years ago. The old notes of downfall, discord, despair no longer resonate. Our generations of loved ones before us are whispering a prophecy, a quest, a calling, an anthem. Our moment is right now. It’s time for America to sing a new song. Our voices sing a song of unity. They sing a song of dignity and opportunity. Are y’all ready to add your voice to the new American song? Because I am. So let’s do this. Ladies and gentlemen, let’s give a big, loud Texas welcome to the next president of the United States, Vice President Kamala Harris.”

In addition to Rowland and Beyoncé, Willie Nelson performed at the Houston rally and Harris ended the night with a speech.

Though Bey hadn’t previously vocalized support for Harris amid the 2024 election cycle, her presence has been strong in the VP’s campaign over the past few months. In August, the superstar was heavily rumored to appear at the Democratic National Convention, but never showed up. Her 2016 track “Freedom” has also been a mainstay in Harris’ campaign, becoming the Democratic nominee’s walkout song in July. CNN confirmed that month that Bey had given direct approval for the song’s use.

She has previously supported other Democratic political causes, including performing with Jay-Z at a Hillary Clinton musical rally in Cleveland in 2016 ahead of that year’s presidential election. In 2020, Bey supported Joe Biden’s campaign and later celebrated his victory on Instagram. Additionally, the “Texas Hold ‘Em” singer performed at both of Barack Obama’s inaugurations in 2009 and 2013.

Watch Beyonce’s full speech below: