The Replacements’ guitarist Bob “Slim” Dunlap has passed away at 73, leaving behind a legacy as enduring as the melodies he so effortlessly shaped. It has been twelve years since a stroke left him largely bedridden, yet the echoes of his music still ripple through time.
Born in the small, unassuming town of Plainview, Minnesota, Slim’s first encounter with a guitar was as unpretentious as the man himself—a boy strumming under wide-open skies, turning simple chords into something luminous. By the 1970s, he was a fixture in local bands, moving through smoky bars and dim-lit backrooms, his playing an alchemy of soul and sincerity.
In 1987, while performing with Curtiss Almsted’s Spooks, fate came calling in the form of Paul Westerberg. The Replacements, raw and untamed, sought a new guitarist. Though hesitant at first, Slim eventually said yes, bringing his gentle humor and soulful touch to a band known for its chaos.
On Don’t Tell a Soul (1989) and All Shook Down (1990), his melodies served as a compass, grounding the band’s tempestuous energy with a blend of blues, rock, and country. Dubbed “the replacement Replacement,” Slim’s presence wasn’t just steady—it was transformative.
After The Replacements disbanded in 1991, Slim struck out solo, releasing two albums in the ’90s: The Old New Me (1993) and Times Like This (1996). Both brimmed with his unpretentious charm and knack for honest, heartfelt songwriting.
In 2012, Dunlap suffered a life-altering stroke. His former bandmates rallied, recording a benefit EP featuring Dunlap’s Busted Up alongside covers that paid homage to music’s greats. The release, auctioned for his medical care, underscored the deep love and respect Slim inspired in those who knew him. When the incident happened, bandmate Paul Westerberg weighed in on the situation: “He’s in rough shape. He’s sort of paralysed, he can move his leg a little bit. When I mentioned this, it seemed like something he really wanted to happen. ‘You guys get together,’ he said in a whisper. ‘Go play a song.'”
Today Slim Dunlap’s family released a statement about his passing:
“Bob passed at home today at 12:48 p.m. surrounded by family. 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,” his family said in a statement. “It was a natural decline over the past week. Overall it was due to complications from his stroke.”
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