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.
Full Article Here:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/24/BAGK13NQGB.DTL
my Steal Your Space book 
Oct 25, 2008 @ 19:19:25
Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders (12-1-1970 to 6-16-1971)
Jerry Garcia – guitar, vocals
Merl Saunders – keyboards, vocals
John Kahn – bass
Bill Vitt – drums
Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders (6-26-1971 to 5-5-1973)
Jerry Garcia – guitar, vocals
Merl Saunders – keyboards, vocals
John Kahn – bass
Bill Vitt – drums (Bill Kreutzmann replaced Vitt on many occasions during this period)
Tom Fogerty – guitar, vocals
Sarah Fulcher – vocals (1-15-1973 to 5-5-1973)
Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders (5-23-1973 to 1-12-1974)
Jerry Garcia – guitar, vocals
Merl Saunders – keyboards, vocals
John Kahn – bass
Bill Vitt – drums
Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders (1-17-1974 to 12-31-1974)
Jerry Garcia – guitar, vocals
Merl Saunders – keyboards, vocals
John Kahn – bass
Martin Fierro – saxophone, flute
Bill Kreutzmann – drums (1-17-1974 to 8-11-1974)
Paul Humphrey – drums (8-15-1974 to 12-31-1974)
Legion of Mary (1-23-1975 to 7-6-1975)
Jerry Garcia – guitar, vocals
Merl Saunders – keyboards, vocals
John Kahn – bass
Martin Fierro – saxophone, flute
Ron Tutt – drums
Reconstruction (1-30-1979 to 9-22-1979)
Jerry Garcia – guitar, vocals
John Kahn – bass
Merl Saunders – keyboards, vocals
Ed Neumeister – trombone
Ron Stallings – tenor saxophone, vocals
Gaylord Birch – drums
Oct 25, 2008 @ 20:55:56
Thanks to Scott for posting this sad news about Merl. I guess the days Merl shows are now over for good, at least here on Earth, but his influence will continue to touch us for a long time; cause That’s the Touch I Like.
I know personally, the three Garcia Saunders albums were instrumental, pardon the pun, in me learning how to play guitar. Those albums and shows with Merl exhibited a confident simpleness that enabled me to join in with the music as if they were inviting me to play along. Give the CDs a listen and you can tell how it’s not just inviting me to play along but inviting all musicians to take a song and make it as good as possible. Inviting all to think of the possibilities and reaching for them while always having a beautiful saftey net on which to fall back down upon. Rest in peace Merl and enjoy forever being a part of the Grateful Dead.