The Replacements’ Slim Dunlap has died

Bob “Slim” Dunlap, the guitarist best known for his time in The Replacements, has died at his home in Minneapolis on Wednesday. He had suffered a debilitating stroke in 2012 and been in ill health ever since. He was 73.

Born in Plainview, MN in 1951, Dunlap started playing in Twin Cities bands in the early 1970s, including Curtis Almsted’s band Spooks, and also worked at Minneapolis club First Avenue. It was with Spooks that he got noticed by Paul Westerberg who was looking for replacement Replacement for lead guitarist Bob Stinson. Slim joined the band in 1987 just after they finished recording Pleased to Meet Me. He would stay with the band through their original era run which included albums Don’t Tell a Soul and All Shook Down.

Dunlap’s stroke happened around the same time as The Replacements’ reunion (Josh Freese and Dave Minehan played guitar for those shows) but the band released a new EP in 2014 with proceeds going to help Slim’s recovery and medical bills.

Slim also toured with Dan Baird of Georgia Satellites and released two solo albums, The Old New Me in 1993 and Times Like This in 1996, and his solo work was praised by Bruce Springsteen, Lucinda Williams and more.

Rest easy, Slim

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