Slim Dunlap live album from 2002 Turf Club gig arrives for his birthday

Just in time for Slim Dunlap's 69th birthday last Friday, family and friends of Minnesota's widely adored rock 'n' roll cult hero surprised his fans with a new live album captured at one of his sorely missed monthly gigs at the Turf Club in 2002.

Titled "Thank you, Dancers!" – one of many showman catch phrases you can hear the former Replacements guitarist mutter between songs -- the 18-song collection is available on CD at several Twin Cities record stores (see below) and as a CD or digital download via Bandcamp.com, in each case for $12.

Captured on an "ugly" spring night, April 27, 2002, the recording was picked by Slim himself out of a trove of tapes captured by longtime Turf Club manager Rob Rule and his late wife Leah. It features an assortment of original tunes from Dunlap's two solo albums as well as a grab bag of covers from Carl Perkins, Steve Earle, Jimmy Liggins, Eddie Dean and (of course) Hank Williams.

Slim's wife, Chrissie Dunlap, said she and the bandleader combed through recordings from throughout his 10-year Turf Club residency and settled on this as "one great show, one that Rob Rule recorded perfectly."

"I wish I could describe how therapeutic the process was for Slim," Chrissie said in a post on Facebook's Slim Dunlap Fan Club page over the weekend. Slim has been largely bedridden at home and under her care since suffering a severe stroke in 2012.

"He would laugh and cry, and try to sing along, reliving some of the best times of his life. He gave it the name, 'Thank you, Dancers!,' and had the final say on what show. He got to make one more record. He thrived on this. Up until yesterday, he said no one will buy it, and today he just beamed when told that he broke even already."

In fact, some of the stores have needed to restock already. The indie shops selling the nicely packaged CD – which includes photos from the Turf gigs – include HiFi Hair & Records, the Electric Fetus, Know Name and Roadrunner in Minneapolis along with Barely Brothers in St. Paul.

Dunlap's resident band featured on the recording is drummer Brien Lilja, bassist John Hazlett and guitarist Jim Thompson. Slim was known to play it loose and have fun at the Turf shows (and most gigs, for that matter), and these guys knew how to keep up with his every whimsy.

Among the more entertaining moments are "Breeder's Cannonball" -- a pseudo mash-up of the Breeders' and the Carter Family's respective "Cannonball" songs that was a show staple – and the Liggins nugget "Drunk," all too appropriately chosen for the weekend Turf Club crowds of 2002. But there's no topping Dunlap's own rollicking classics and their just-tight-enough performances here, including "Ain't No Fair (In a Rock 'n' Roll Love Affair)," "Little Shiva's Song," "Just for the Hell of It" and "Cozy," the latter of which was turned into a boys-vs-girls singalong on this particular, wonderful night.

Finally, a word from Slim about the project, per Chrissie:

"I asked Slim if he had a message for you guys about the CD, and first he said what he always says: 'Play it loud.' And then, 'Just tell 'em: Enjoy the show.'"

Done and done.