R.I.P. Slim Dunlap of The Replacements

Bob “Slim” Dunlap, guitarist for The Replacements from the late ’80s up until their break-up, has died. He was 73.

The Minnesota Star Tribune reports that Dunlap died Wednesday, Dec. 18 of complications from a stroke he suffered back in 2012.

“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.”

Dunlap previously worked at a janitor at Minneapolis’ First Avenue venue before joining The Replacements in 1987, replacing their first guitarist Bob Stinson after he left the group. Dunlap remained in the band until their split in 1991. He played on the final two albums in their discography, Don’t Tell A Soul and All Shook Down.

In the ’90s, Dunlap toured with Dan Baird of the Georgia Satellites, and he released two solo albums, The Old New Me and Times Like This.

After Dunlap’s stroke in 2012, his former bandmates Paul Westerberg and Tommy Stinson reunited for the benefit EP Songs for Slim, the proceeds of which were donated to Dunlap to help pay for his medical care.