Slim Dunlap, guitarist and singer-songwriter of the band the Replacements, died on Wednesday at age 73.
A statement from his family announced the Minnesota-bred musician passed away from ‘complications from his stroke,’ which he suffered in 2012.
The medical emergency sent Slim, real name Bob, down a 13-year road of health complications and recuperation.
He replaced founding Replacements member Bob Stinson when he was fired from the collective and was widely praised for revitalizing the band.
It was lead singer Paul Westerberg’s idea to officially bill the new member as Slim, to prevent confusion with the group’s original Bob.
Dunlap toured 1987’s Pleased to Meet Me album, which was the last featuring Stinson on guitar.
Slim Dunlap, guitarist and singer-songwriter of the band the Replacements, died on Wednesday at age 73; pictured in 1990
He replaced founding Replacements member Bob Stinson when he was fired from the collective and was widely praised for revitalizing the band; Pictured from left are Tommy Stinson, Paul Westerberg, Chris Mars, and Slim Dunlap (fore) in 1989
He went on to appear on the Replacements’ final 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, reading: ‘Bob passed at home today at 12:48 p.m. surrounded by family.Â
‘We played him his ‘Live at the Turf Club (’Thank You Dancers!)’ CD, and he left us shortly after listening to his version of ‘Hillbilly Heaven’ — quite poignant.Â
‘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 in 2014 raved on NPR, ‘Check out the two Slim Dunlap records, because they’re just beautiful rock ‘n’ roll records. I found them to be deeply touching and emotional.’
Slim was born in 1951 to a Minnesota state 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 with three kids.
A statement from his family announced the Minnesota-bred musician passed away from ‘complications from his stroke,’ which he suffered in 2012
He replaced founding Replacements member Bob Stinson when he was fired from the collective and was widely praised for revitalizing the band; pictured in 1990
His wife Chrissie, with help from Westerberg, persuaded him to take the gig.
‘He felt the obligation to bring 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, per the Star Tribune.
She also shared that her husband’s new role was an adjustment for their teenage daughter Emily who was also a musician and a fan of her father’s new band.
‘She was really into the Replacements. So for her to have her dad suddenly playing in the band, it would be like my dad joining the Rolling Stones,’ the mom-of-three explained.
Dunlap had previously driven a taxi and been a janitor at First Avenue nightclub, where his wife was a talent booker.
