Merl Saunders: 1934-2008

When you think about the San Francisco rock scene in the late '60s and early '70s, names like Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, Santana, and Grateful Dead immediately come to mind. Dig a little deeper, and the name Merl Saunders starts popping up with considerable frequency.

The keyboardist and his Merl Saunders Trio and Big Band recorded their first album, Soul Grooving, in 1968. In the early '70s, most anytime Jerry Garcia was recording or performing live, Saunders was usually there, too. During that period he also worked with (among many others) Tom Fogerty, Mike Bloomfield, and Bonnie Raitt.

Saunders kept playing until 2002 when a stroke left half of his body paralyzed. On Friday (10/24) Saunders died of complications from that stroke, at the age of 74. He leaves a legacy described in a message from his family on his website. "Merl Saunders stood for music and love - his smile alone told you that. He was a special man, a beautiful companion, father, grandfather, and family patriarch, and the proof of that spirit is in the way you've reached out to us at his passing."

A public memorial service will be held Wednesday (10/29) in San Francisco.

^{Merl Saunders and Jerry Garcia on the cover of 1973's Live At Keystone, Vol. 1 (courtesy Fantasy Records)}