Merl Saunders, longtime Grateful Dead member and renowned keyboard player, died on Friday (October 24th) at age 74 it has been announced.
The musician was a long time member of the legendary psychedelic rock group, and his keyboard textures added much to the band’s sound. Renowned by his peers, Saunders also went on to play with the likes of Bonnie Raitt, blues legend BB King and even jazz trumpeter Miles Davis.
Merl Saunders reportedly died from complications due to a stroke at Kaiser Permanente medical Center in San Francisco.
The keyboard player suffered a stroke in 2002, which left him paralyzed down one side of his body – effectively ending his long career in music.
The Grateful Dead have been active recently, with some members re-uniting for a Barack Obama fund raising show. it has not been announced how they will mark the life of integral member Merl Saunders.
Merl Saunders, keyboard player with The Grateful Dead, has died age 74.
