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Slim Dunlap

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Slim Dunlap
Dunlap bent over his guitar while playing harmonica
Dunlap performing in 2007
Background information
Birth nameBob Dunlap
Born (1951-08-14) August 14, 1951 (age 73)
Plainview, Minnesota
OriginMinneapolis, Minnesota
GenresRock music
Occupation(s)Guitarist, singer-songwriter
InstrumentGuitar
Years activeEarly-1970s – 2012
LabelsTwin/Tone, Restless
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Slim Dunlap.

Bob "Slim" Dunlap (born August 14, 1951) is an American rock musician. He is a Minnesota-based guitarist and singer-songwriter who is best known as a member of The Replacements from 1987 to 1991, replacing original lead guitarist Bob Stinson. Dunlap also recorded two solo albums in the mid-1990s.

Dunlap was influenced by Hank Williams and Keith Richards, and has been called "one of the last old-school cool guitar players".[1] Ralph Heibutzki at AllMusic said that he "epitomizes the journeyman musician who plays for the fun of it, when his day gig allows".[2]

Biography

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Slim Dunlap was born in Plainview, Minnesota, on August 14, 1951. He started playing guitar when he was about ten.[1] In the early 1970s he teamed up with rock musician and visual artist Curtiss A, also known as Curt Almsted, and together they formed Thumbs Up, an "unusual mix of rhythm and blues with pop [that] has been described as early new wave".[3] He also joined Almsted's punk-rock group, Spooks, and featured on all but one of Spooks's albums. Dunlap's work with Almsted established himself as an "intuitive, reliable musician who could fit any situation",[2] and he attracted the attention of Paul Westerberg of The Replacements, a Minnesota-based punk/alternative rock band. Westerberg was looking for a guitarist to replace Bob Stinson, who had been asked to leave in the mid-1980s because of his drug and alcohol problems,[1] and approached Dunlap. Dunlap initially turned down the offer, but joined The Replacements in 1987 on account of "his admiration for Westerberg's songwriting".[1][2] Dunlap's day job at the time was working as a janitor at First Avenue, a nightclub in Minneapolis, the same venue where The Replacements had launched their career in the early 1980s.[1][4] Dunlap became the "replacement Replacement",[1] and remained with the band until their breakup in 1991, featuring on their last two studio albums.[2]

In 1991 Dunlap toured with ex-Georgia Satellites lead vocalist Dan Baird to promote Baird's solo album, Love Songs for the Hearing Impaired. Towards the end of 1992 Dunlap started recording his own first solo album, The Old New Me, which was released in 1993. It was followed by his second solo album, Times Like This in 1996.[2] AllMusic called The Old New Me a "rootsy, engaging ride",[5] and Times Like This "the opposite of the Replacements' rowdy, unscripted alt-rock vitriol [that] wins on its own unobtrusive terms".[6] Dunlap performed at The Bottom Line in New York City in December 1997,[7] and he and his own band were active in the Minneapolis area[2] until February 2012 when he was hospitalized after suffering a severe stroke.[8]

Songs for Slim

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After Dunlap's stroke, a non-profit project, Songs For Slim, was established to raise money for him by having other artists cover his songs and other merchandise.[9] The releases included an EP by his former bandmates from The Replacements, Songs for Slim, featuring cover art by Chris Mars.

Honors and awards

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Star honoring Slim Dunlap on the outside mural of the Minneapolis nightclub First Avenue

Dunlap was honored with a star on the outside mural of the Minneapolis nightclub First Avenue,[10] recognizing performers that have played sold-out shows or have otherwise demonstrated a major contribution to the culture at the iconic venue.[11] Receiving a star "might be the most prestigious public honor an artist can receive in Minneapolis," according to journalist Steve Marsh.[12]

Solo discography

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Source: AllMusic[13]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Tan, Stephen (February 10, 2011). "Times Like This". bigOfeature. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Heibutzki, Ralph. "Slim Dunlap". AllMusic. Retrieved June 15, 2011.
  3. ^ "Minneapolis/St Paul, MN". Continuum Encyclopedia of Popular Music of the World: Locations. Continuum International Publishing Group. 2005. Retrieved June 14, 2011.
  4. ^ Carr, David (November 15, 2004). "First Avenue Is Dead (Long Live First Avenue!)". The New York Times. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
  5. ^ Heibutzki, Ralph. "The Old New Me". AllMusic. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
  6. ^ Heibutzki, Ralph. "Times Like This". AllMusic. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
  7. ^ Powers, Ann (December 9, 1997). "Pop Review; In Folk Music, Who's New Depends on Who's Judging". The New York Times. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
  8. ^ "Replacements' Slim Dunlap Hospitalized After Stroke". spinner.com. Retrieved June 21, 2012.
  9. ^ "Songs For Slim". songsforslim.com. Retrieved April 27, 2015.
  10. ^ "The Stars". First Avenue & 7th Street Entry. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  11. ^ Bream, Jon (May 3, 2019). "10 things you'll learn about First Avenue in new Minnesota History Center show". Star Tribune. Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  12. ^ Marsh, Steve (May 13, 2019). "First Avenue's Star Wall". Mpls.St.Paul Magazine. Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  13. ^ "Slim Dunlap discography". AllMusic. Retrieved June 15, 2011.
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