RIP Merle Saunders

[JRL]

WEll we lost another of the greats. Merle was well known as Jerry Garcia's music partner for many years. He helped Jerry regain his playing abilities after his diabetic coma.

Merle was a great Hammond organ player. RIP!

[laughingwillow]

Wow. So sorry to hear this.

lw

[JRL]

Merle had been sick a long time. I think a stroke is what finished him, but he was battling somethung else if i can remember.

I saw Garcia/Saunders a couple times n a small club, back in the days when they barely sold out a 500 seater and the Dead couldn't fill a stadium. Got to watch Garcia from ten feet away. I remember thinking, "This guy is a country picker"

I always got the feeling that Garcia was happier with his band. It always looked to me like he was way more sober with his band.

Well, another one bites the dust, death truely has no mercy in this land.

[Syd]

Death is everlasting.

• Syd raises his Glencairn to the greats.

[JRL]

Merle was one of the greats for sure, seemed like a nice man as well.