Iconic 80s rock guitarist dead at 73
Slim Dunlap, guitarist and singer-songwriter of the band The Replacements, died on Wednesday at the age of 73.
A statement from his family announced that the Minnesota musician died from “complications of his stroke” which he suffered in 2012.
The medical emergency sent Slim, real name Bob, down a 13-year road of health complications and recovery.
He replaced founding Replacements member Bob Stinson when he was fired from the collective and was widely credited with reviving the band.
It was singer Paul Westerberg’s idea to officially announce the new member as Slim, to avoid confusion with the group’s original Bob.
Dunlap toured with the 1987 album Pleased to Meet Me, the last with Stinson on guitar.
Slim Dunlap, guitarist and singer-songwriter of the band The Replacements, died on Wednesday at the age of 73; pictured in 1990
He replaced founding Replacements member Bob Stinson when he was fired from the collective and was widely credited with reviving the band; Pictured from left is Tommy Stinson, Paul Westerberg, Chris Mars and Slim Dunlap (front) in 1989
He then appeared in the Replacements’ last two projects: 1989’s Don’t Tell and 1991’s All Shook Down.
Minneapolis Star-Tribune published a message from the guitarist’s family on Wednesday, stating: ‘Bob passed away at home today at 12:48 pm, surrounded by family.
‘We played him his CD ‘Live at the Turf Club (‘Thank You Dancers!)’, and he left us shortly after listening to his version of ‘Hillbilly Heaven’ – quite moving.
“It was a natural decline over the past week. Overall it was due to complications from his stroke.”
Dunlap released his first solo album, The Old New Me, in 1993.
It was followed by Times Like These in 1996 and caught the attention of Bruce Springsteen, who raved about it in 2014 NPR“Look at the two Slim Dunlap records, because they’re just beautiful rock ‘n’ roll records. I found them deeply moving and emotional.’
Slim was born in 1951, the son of a Minnesota senator. In 1976 he became a member of the band Thumbs Up, later called Spooks.
When Westerberg discovered him, he was hesitant to join the Replacements as a husband and father of three children.
A statement from his family announced that the Minnesota-bred musician died from “complications of his stroke,” which he suffered in 2012
He replaced founding Replacements member Bob Stinson when he was fired from the collective and was widely credited with reviving the band; pictured in 1990
His wife Chrissie, with Westerberg’s help, persuaded him to take the gig.
‘He felt an obligation to take home a steady paycheck, and [joining the Replacements] was a way for him to finally do that while playing music,” Chrissie said in a 2015 interview, according to the Star Tribune.
She also said her husband’s new role was an adjustment for their teenage daughter Emily, who was also a musician and fan of her father’s new band.
“She really liked the Replacements. So if her dad suddenly joined the band, it would be like my dad joining the Rolling Stones,” the mother of three explained.
Dunlap had previously driven a taxi and been a concierge at the First Avenue nightclub, where his wife was a talent booker.