Star keyboardist Merl Saunders dies

[CountAllVotes]

Source: Joel Selvin, Chronicle Senior Pop Music Critic

10-24) 16:44 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- Keyboardist Merl Saunders, the gentle lion of the San Francisco music scene best known as co-captain of guitarist Jerry Garcia's solo excursions outside the Grateful Dead, died Friday at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center after fighting infections.

The 74-year-old musician suffered a debilitating stroke 6 1/2 years ago and, although he lost the ability to speak, he made numerous sentimental guest appearances at shows over those years playing with one hand.

"I never met anybody so happy who had a stroke," said Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart. "In the end, the only thing that lit him up was the music. Sometimes he'd cry, but I've never seen anybody so happy in the realm of music."

The native San Franciscan attended Polytechnic High School with singer Johnny Mathis.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/25/BAGK13NQGB.DTL

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A sad day for the music world. Merl Saunders was a great musician. He will be missed! :(

[JeffR]

1. Aw, hell

Another one of the great gone. I hope he and Jerry are getting their jam on right now, somewhere far away.

[ET Awful]

2. RIP Merl, I'll always remember your solos during "Lucky Old Sun"

Never failed to send chills :)

[CountAllVotes]

3. Harold Kant, Grateful Dead lawyer died a few days earlier :(

Longtime Grateful Dead lawyer dies in Nevada
The Associated Press
Article Launched: 10/25/2008 08:19:21 PM PDT

LOS ANGELES—Harold Kant, the principal attorney for the Grateful Dead who helped run the band's business and protected their musical legacy for more than three decades, has died. He was 77.

Kant died of pancreatic cancer Oct. 19 at his home in Reno, Nev., his son Jonas told the Los Angeles Times in a story on the newspaper's Web site Saturday.

"He oversaw every aspect of their business, whether licensing, touring, trademarks, merchandise or (Jerry) Garcia getting busted for drugs," Jonas Kant, a music lawyer and senior vice president at Sony/ATV Music Publishing, said. "They were known for being a free-loving, peace-loving band, but he helped them run everything like a structured business."

A Harvard Law School graduate, Kant began representing the Dead in 1971, accompanying the band on tours and handling its recording and music publishing contracts. He ensured that the Dead's master recordings would be owned by the band, his son said.

http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_10817637

One way or the other, this darkness got to give.

:(

[nolabear]

6. Lord, Lord

Too many good ones done gone. I hope he rolls around heaven all day.

[John Q. Citizen]

4. Fair thee well, Merl.

[PoiBoy]

5. RIP..

Merl Saunders was an awesome keyboardist... he will be missed...

And thank you, CountAllVotes, for the information on Harold Kant, the Dead's attorney who also passed... I wasn't aware of all he did, and you gotta know, if he was working for the Dead, he did a lot... his was the steady hand that kept the boys safe through all storms... RIP Mr. Kant, thank you for your service.

[Old and In the Way]

7. I 2nd that emotion....

bummer. 'Live at the Keystone' is one of the great live albums that came out of that era....

[Gadzooks1]

8. How sad...he will be missed by many,

myself included.

[Earth_First]

9. United with the old gang again after all these years...

While there is sadness and grief here on Earth over his passing, a reunion of great emotion is currently playing out among old friends.

Rest In Peace good buddy!

[kas125]

10. We've known it was coming, but it's still very sad news.

Thank you, Merl and may the four winds blow you safely home...