Bob “Slim” Dunlap, a guitarist for The Replacements, has died. He was 73.
Dunlap’s family confirmed his passing in a statement to the Minnesota Star Tribune on Wednesday.
“Bob passed at home today at 12:48 p.m. surrounded by family,” the statement read. “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.”
The statement added about Dunlap’s death, “it was a natural decline over the past week. Overall it was due to complications from his stroke.”
Dunlap suffered a stroke back in 2012 that left him incapacitated.
“He is paralyzed and can only move his head,” Dunlap’s wife, Chrissie, said about the musician in a 2023 interview with Perfect Sound Forever.
“He will never play again,” she added. “He remains in good spirits despite his disability and pain. He has been hospitalized over one hundred times and as long as he is home with me, he feels pretty good.”
Dunlap was born and raised in Minnesota. He started playing guitar when he was about ten years old.
In 1987, Dunlap joined The Replacements after founding member Bob Stinson was kicked out.
Dulap, with fellow bandmates Paul Westerberg, Tommy Stinson and Chris Mars, was featured on the group’s last two albums, 1989’s “Don’t Tell a Soul” and 1990’s ‘All Shook Down.”
He went by the nickname “Slim” at Westerberg’s request so they could avoid confusion with the Bob that he replaced.
After the group broke up in 1991, Dunlap released two solo albums. He came out with “The Old New Me” in 1993 and “Times Like This” in 1996.
Dunlap didn’t reunite with The Replacements for their tour in 2014 due to his stroke, but Westerberg said that Dunlap gave his blessing for them to continue.
The group also held a fundraiser for Dunlap in 2013 to raise money for his treatment.
In his and his wife’s 2023 interview with Perfect Sound Forever, Dunlap looked back on joining The Replacements and his time with the band.
“No one could replace Bob. I learned his parts but did it my way,” he said.
The guitarist added, “It was both exhilarating and depressing- a roller coaster ride. It fulfilled a lot of my dreams and opened doors for me. I’m incredibly grateful to Paul and Tommy and Chris for giving me a chance.”
Dunlap is survived by his wife, his three children, including daughter Emily Boigenzahn who is a musician, and his two grandchildren.
