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Merl Saunders

Merl Saunders started his professional music career playing in show bands and jazz groups. He started to collaborate with Jerry Garcia in 1971 and their groups, the Garcia / Saunders Band and Legion Of Mary, were Garcia main away from the Grateful Dead vehicle from 1972 to 1975. Garcia also played with Merl's group Reconstruction in 1979. Merl Saunders was also a member of Dinosaurs, at times alongside Robert Hunter, and together with the Grateful Dead composed music for the New Twilight Zone TV series in 1985.

Merl Saunders: Singles

info Five More / How's That), Merle Saunders, 1965, Fantasy 588

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info High Heel Sneakers / Breakin' Thru, Merl Saunders Trio, 1966, Fantasy 600

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info Soul Roach Part 1 / Soul Roach Part 2, Merl Saunders & His Orchestra, 1966, Early Bird

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info I Pity The Fool / Tighten Up, Merl Saunders, 1968, Galaxy 747

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info Soul Grooving / Up Up and Away, Merl Saunders, 1968, Galaxy 755

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info Julia / Five More, Merl Saunders, 1969, Fantasy 620

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info Mighty Whitey / Right On, Merl Saunders & Man Child Singers, 1969, Suemer-Tone 69

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info The Iron Horse / Little Bit Of Righteousness, Merl Saunders and Heavy Turbulence, 1971, Galaxy 776

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info Save Mother Earth Part 1 / Save Mother Earth Part 2, Merl Saunders, 1971, Fantasy 668

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info My Problems Got Problems / Welcome To The Basement, Merl Saunders, 1972, Fantasy 678

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info San Francisco After Dark / Come To Me, 1981, Summertone 214

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Merl Saunders: Albums and compilations

info Soul Grooving, Merl Saunders Trio and Big Band, 1968

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info Heavy Turbulence, Merl Saunders, 1972

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info Fire Up, Merl Saunders, 1973

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info Live At Keystone, Saunders/Garcia/Kahn/Vitt, December 1973

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info Merl Saunders, Merl Saunders, 1974

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info You Can Leave Your Hat On, Merl Saunders and Aunt Monk, 1976

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info Do I Move You, Merl Saunders, 1979

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info San Francisco After Dark, Merl Saunders, 1982

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info Meridien Dreams, Merl Saunders, 1988

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info Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs, 1988

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info Keystone Encores Vol. 1, Saunders/Garcia/Kahn/Vitt, April 1988

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info Keystone Encores Vol. 2, Saunders/Garcia/Kahn/Vitt, April 1988

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info Live At Keystone Vol. 1, Saunders/Garcia/Kahn/Vitt, 1988

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info Live At Keystone Vol. 2, Saunders/Garcia/Kahn/Vitt, 1988

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info Keystone Encores, Saunders/Garcia/Kahn/Vitt, 1988

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info Blues From The Rainforest, Merl Saunders, 1990

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info Save The Planet So We'll Have Someplace To Boogie, Merl Saunders, 1991

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info Fire Up Plus, Merl Saunders, 1992

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info It's In The Air, Merl Saunders, 1993

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info Still Having Fun, Merl Saunders, 1995

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info Keepers, Merl Saunders and Friends, 1997

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info Fiesta Amazonica, Merl Saunders, 1998

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info The Twilight Zone (Vol. 1): Original Soundtrack from the TV series, Grateful Dead/Merl Saunders, 1998

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info With His Funky Friends: Live, Merl Saunders, 1998

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info Struggling Man, Merl Saunders, 2000

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info Still Groovin', Merl Saunders, 2004

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info Pure Jerry: Keystone Berkeley, September 1, 1974, Jerry Garcia & Merl Saunders Band, 2004

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info The Jerry Garcia Collection, Vol. 1: Legion of Mary, Legion Of Mary, 2005

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info Friends Of Extinction, Dinosaurs, 2005

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info Well Matched: The Best Of Merl Saunders & Jerry Garcia, Merl Saunders and Jerry Garcia, 2006

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info Live On Tour, Merl Saunders & Melvin Seals, 2006

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info Keystone Companions: The Complete 1973 Fantasy Recordings, Merl Saunders / Jerry Garcia, 2012

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info Garcia Live: Volume Three: December 14-15, 1974, Northwest Tour, Legion Of Mary, 2013

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info Garcia Live: Volume Six: July 5, 1973, Lion's Share, Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders, 2016

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info Garcia Live: Volume Nine: August 11, 1974, Keystone, Berkeley, Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders, 2017

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info Garcia Live: Volume 12: January 23, 1973, The Boarding House, Jerry Garcia & Merl Saunders, 2019

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info Garcia Live: Volume 15: May 21st, 1971 Keystone Korner, Jerry Garcia & Merl Saunders, 2020

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info Garcia Live: Volume 18: Keystone Berkeley, November 2, 1974, Jerry Garcia & Merl Saunders, 2022

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Various artist compilations that include previously unreleased Merl Saunders music

info Black Girl (Soundtrack), Various Artists, 1972

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info Fritz The Cat (Soundtrack), Various Artists, 1972

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info Heavy Traffic (Soundtrack), Various Artists, 1973

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info Keyboard, Various Artists, 1975

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info Fire On The Mountain - Reggae Celebrates The Grateful Dead - Volume 2, Various Artists, 1997

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info The Third Annual Gathering on the Mountain, Various Artists, 1999

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info Gathering On The Mountain: Live Part 1, Various Artists, 2000

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info Gathering On The Mountain: Live Part 2, Various Artists, 2000

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info Gathering On The Mountain: Live Part 3, Various Artists, 2000

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info Sharin' In The Groove, Various Artists, 2000

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info Into The Music: Jam Band, Vol. 1, Various Artists, 2001

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info Garcia Plays Dylan, Jerry Garcia Band / Grateful Dead, 2005

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info The Very Best Of Jerry Garcia, Jerry Garcia, 2006

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Various artist compilations that include previously released Merl Saunders music

info Cool, Various Artists, 1988

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info The Cities Sampler, Vol. 3: Songs For The Earth, Various Artists, 1991

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info All Night Long They Play The Blues, Various Artists, 1992

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info Bad, Bad Whiskey (The Galaxy Masters), Various Artists, 1995

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info Jazz Collective, Various Artists, 1995

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info Sense Of Direction, Various Artists, 1995

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info Televisions Greatest Hits, Vol. 6 - Remote Control, Various Artists, 1996

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info Fritz The Cat/Heavy Traffic Soundtrack, Various Artists, 1996

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info Mo' Mod Jazz, Various Artists, 1998

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info Kinky Beats, Various Artists, 1999

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info Get Your Lie Straight, Various Artists, 2004

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info Welcome To The Basement, Various Artists, 2004

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info Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky, Various Artists, 2004

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info Pops In Jazz, Various Artists, 2004

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info Pops In Jazz, Vol. 2, Various Artists, 2004

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info Pure Jerry Sampler: Vols. 1 to 6, Jerry Garcia, 2005

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info Concord Music Group Sampler, Various Artists (Garcia/Saunders), 2005

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no info 28 Roses, DJ Mitsu The Beats, 2006

This album includes a remix of the Merl Saunders track Bahia.

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info Jerry Garcia: The Collected Artwork: Collectors Ed. CD, Various Jerry Garcia groups, 2007

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info The Manifesto Of Rare Groove, Vols 1-3, Various Artists, 2007

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info Jazz Dispensary: Soul Diesel II, Various Artists, 2018

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info Soho Scene '64-'65 Jazz Goes Mod, Various Artists, 2019

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info Soho Scene '66-'67 Jazz Goes Mod, Various Artists, 2020

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info Jazz Dispensary: Orange Sunset, Various Artists, 2020

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info Instrumentals Soul-Style Vol. 3: 1965-1966, Various Artists, 2021

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Merl Saunders: Playing contributions to other releases

info Grateful Dead (Skull & Roses), Grateful Dead, 1971

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info John White, John White, 1971

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info Danny Cox, Dany Cox, 1971

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no info Goodbye Media Man Part I / Goodbye Media Man Part II, Tom Fogerty, 1971, Fantasy 661

Merl Saunders plays on the tracks of this single.

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info Tom Fogerty, Tom Fogerty, 1972

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info Single (Lady Of Fatima / Cast The First Stone), Tom Fogerty, June 1972, Fantasy F680

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info Steelyard Blues (Soundtrack), Various Artists, 1972

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info Single (Drive Again (Theme from Steelyard Blues) / My Bag (The Oysters)), Gravenites/Bloomfield et al, 1972

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info Give It Up, Bonnie Raitt, 1972

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info Warner/Reprise Display Case, Vol. 9, Various Artists (Bonnie Raitt), 1972

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info Europe '72, Grateful Dead, 1972

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info Excalibur, Tom Fogerty, 1972

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info Single (Faces Places People / Forty Years), Tom Fogerty, October 1972, Fantasy F691

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info Last Bolero In Berkeley, Cal Tjader, 1973

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info Betty Davis, Betty Davis, 1973

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info Moses, Jerry Hahn, 1973

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info Brenda Patterson, Brenda Patterson, 1973

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info Ooh So Good 'N' Blues, Taj Mahal, 1973

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info Warner/Reprise Display Case, Vol. 10, Various Artists (Gravenites/Bloomfield), 1973

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info America At Mid-Century, Various Artists, 1973

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info Garcia (Compliments of Garcia), Jerry Garcia, 1974

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info Single (Let It Rock / Midnight Town), Jerry Garcia, 1974

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info Mo' Roots, Taj Mahal, 1974

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info Looks Good To Me, Jim Post, 1974

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info They Say I'm Different, Betty Davis, 1974

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no info Deep Ear, Various Artists, 1974

Includes a track from the Steelyard Blues soundtrack.

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info Is Having A Wonderful Time, Geoff Muldaur, 1975

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info Keith and Donna Godchaux, Keith and Donna Godchaux, 1975

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info Cesar 830, Cesar Ascarrunz, 1975

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info Tails Out, Wayne Berry, 1975

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info Single (See-Saw Affair / The Lady In My Life), Cesar's All-Stars, 1975

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info Sampler For Deadheads (#1 of 3), Jerry Garcia / Robert Hunter, 1975

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info David Soul, David Soul, 1976

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info What A Long Strange Trip It's Been, Grateful Dead, 1977

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info Grateful Dead Sampler, Various Artists, 1978

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info Cats Under the Stars, Jerry Garcia Band, 1978

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info Arista AOR Sampler, Various Artists, 1978

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info Run For The Roses, Jerry Garcia Band, 1982

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info Amagamalin Street, Robert Hunter, 1984

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info The Relix Sampler, Various Artists, 1985

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info Nightfood, Brian Melvin, 1988

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info Underground (EP), Mike Lawson, 1989, Psychotronic Records

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info Stubborn Girl, C P Love, 1990

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info Free Flight, Palomino Duck, 1994

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info Life Is Like That, Jerry Miller, 1996

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info DAVA, DAVA And The Peace Army, 1997

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info Ticket To Fly, Mike Lawson, 1998

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info Tom Fogerty/Excalibur, Tom Fogerty, 1998

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info The Very Best Of Tom Fogerty, Tom Fogerty, 1999

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info King Of The Highway, Norton Buffalo and The Knockouts, 2000

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info New Train, Paul Pena, 2000

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info Hoy Yen Ass'n, Tommy Guerrero and Gadget, 2000

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info Furthur Most, Various Artists, 2000

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info The Best Of David Soul, David Soul, 2000

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info Anti Love: The Best Of Betty Davis, Betty Davis, 2000

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info The Golden Road (1965-1973), Grateful Dead, 2001

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info Gifts From The Dead, Gifts From The Dead, 2001

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info Remedy, Jim Weider Band, 2002

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info The Earth Will Swallow You (DVD), Widespread Panic, 2002

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info Rare, Five Point Plan, 2002

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info Rhythm & Roots of Larry Vann, Larry Vann, 2003

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info It's Always Been There, Gresham, 1990

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info The Very Best Of The Grateful Dead, Grateful Dead, 2003

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info All Good Things: Jerry Garcia Studio Sessions, Jerry Garcia / Jerry Garcia Band, 2004

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info The Essential Taj Mahal, Taj Mahal, 2005

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info The Very Best Of Jerry Garcia, Jerry Garcia, 2006

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info Oooh So Good 'N Blues / Recycling the Blues & Other Related Stuff, Taj Mahal, 2007

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info Looking Back: The Very Best of, David Soul, 2008

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info A Promise Kept, Jim McPherson, 2009

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info Oooh So Good 'N Blues / Mo' Roots, Taj Mahal, 2009

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info Recycling the Blues & Other Related Stuff / Oooh So Good 'N Blues, Taj Mahal, 2009

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info Don't Give Up on Us: The Very Best of, David Soul, 2010

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info Romancing The Bass, Tony Saunders, 2011

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info The Complete Columbia Albums Collection, Taj Mahal, 2013

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info The Best Of The Grateful Dead Live, 2018

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info The Story Of The Grateful Dead, Grateful Dead, 2020

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info Grateful Dead (Skull & Roses) 50th Anniversary Expanded Edition, Grateful Dead, 2021

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info Might As Well: A Round Records Retrospective, Jerry Garcia, 2023

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Merl Saunders: Non-playing contributions to other albums

no info The Real Thing / Try My Love, Troy Dodds, 1966

Merl Saunders was the producer on the sessions that resulted in this single release.

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no info Selah, Walter Hawkins, 1972

Merl Saunders produced this album.

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no info Do Your Best, Walter Hawkins, 1977

Merl Saunders produced this album which is a reissue of the 1972 Selah LP.

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info Blue Light Rain, Jazz Is Dead, 1998

Merl Saunders is thanked in the liner notes of this album.

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info Jazz a La Soul, M.R.L.S., 2004

Includes a cover of a Merl Saunders composition.

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info Soul Groovin', Speedometer, 2009

Includes a cover of a Merl Saunders composition.

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info Invisible Angel, Nikki Matheson, 2011

Includes a cover of a Merl Saunders composition.

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info Electric Mix: Tasty Live & Studio Tune Treats, Phil McGee, 2011

Includes a cover of a Merl Saunders composition.

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Merl Saunders compositions that have been released


  A
info Afro Pearl Blue
info Am I Asking Too Much
info Aunt Monk
info Ayahuasca Zone

  B
info Benedict Rides
info Blue Hill Ocean Dance
info Blues From The Rainforest
info Bolinas Brown

  C
info Charisma (She's Got)
info Child's Play
info Chock-Lite Puddin'
info Come To Me

  D
info Dance Of The Fireflies
info Dance Of The Pink Dolphins
info Do I Care

  E
info Eduardo (Can You Hear Me Calling)

  F
info Fast_Tone
info Feel Like Sufferin'
info Fiesta Amazonica
info First Time
info Five More
info Follow

  G
info Groove Juice

  H
info Here's a Little Groove for You, Pt. 1
info Here's a Little Groove for You, Pt. 2
info Hero's Blues
info How's That

  I
info I Of Newton
info In Love with Love
info The Iron Horse
info Is The Grass Much Greener
info It's in the Air (Konfusion)

  K
info Keepers *
info Keepers (Finders)*
info Kentucky Rye - Part I
info Kentucky Rye - Part II
info Kentucky Rye - Part III
info Keystone Jam
info Keystone Korner Jam

  L
info Lay Back Baby
info Left Out In The Cold
info Lions Share Jam
info Little Bit of Righteousness
info Lonesome Fever

  M
info M.S.
info Man Child
info Melons In Season
info Merl's Tune
info My Problems Got Problems
info My Train

  N
info Nostalgia For Jerome

  P
info Paris Blues
info Party 'Til The Morning Light
info Play the Paris Blues
info Prayer For The Trees

  R
info Resurrection Rag
info Righteousness
info The Riot
info Run River Run

  S
info San Francisco After Dark
info Save Mother Earth
info Save Mother Earth Part 1
info Save Mother Earth Part 2
info Saxy Soul
info She's Got Charisma
info Since I Lost My Baby (Instrumental Jam)
info Soul Grooving
info Soul Roach
info Soul Roach Part 1
info Soul Roach Part 2
info Space
info Sri Lanka
info Suite From 'Nightcrawlers'
info Suite From 'The Misfortune Cookie'
info Summertime in the Big City
info Sunrise Over Haleakala
info Sweetwater
info The System

  T
info Tellin' My Friends
info This Melody to Keep You Warm
info Tighten Up
info The Twilight Zone '85 End Credits
info The Twilight Zone '85 Main Title

  W
info Walk The River
info Welcome to the Basement
info When Will I Know
info Wondering Why



Last updated August 2023