| Author | Message | ||
     Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 3329 Registered: 05-2005 |
I have a few of his albums but never saw him live. A terrible loss. This is the NME story. Vic Chesnutt dies following suspected overdose Vic Chesnutt has died of a suspected overdose in his home county of Athens, Georgia, his record label Constellation Records have confirmed. He was 45. The songwriter, who has worked with REM's Michael Stipe, passed away on December 25. He had been in a coma that was the result of an overdose of muscle relaxers, taken earlier this week, reports the New York Times. Chesnutt had a history of suicide attempts, recently telling NPR radio station he had "attempted suicide three or four times" but that "it didn't take". Left in a wheelchair after a car accident when he was 18, Chesnutt released 16 albums in total, with 'At the Cut' and 'Skitter On Take-Off' both coming out in 2009. Acts including Madonna, Sparklehorse, The Smashing Pumpkins and REM covered his songs on 1996 tribute album 'Sweet Relief II: Gravity Of The Situation'. Throwing Muses member Kristin Hersh (who was also a long-term collaborator with Chesnutt), Tweeted that he appeared to have left a suicide note before slipping into the coma. Hersh wrote: "This time, it's real scary: This time, he left a note, this time, he asked them to call me." She has also has set up a donation account to help Chesnutt's family, at Kristinhersh.cashmusic.org. REM's Stipe, who produced two albums by Chesnutt, paid tribute to him in a radio interview with NPR. "He was able to bring levity to very dark emotions and feelings, and he had a humour that was really quite unusual," Stipe said. "I said recently that I thought he was one of our greatest songwriters, and one of our greatest voices." A further post from Stipe on REMhq.com said simply: "We have lost one of our great ones." Chesnutt is survived by his wife, Tina Whatley Chesnutt; a sister, Lorinda Crane; and nine nieces and nephews. A memorial for the singer is taking place today (December 27) in Athens. | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 2223 Registered: 03-2005 |
Thanks for that Padraig. You reminded me. Somebody told me about that the day after christmas. Between his chronic depression (which I suspect he would have had anyway) and being confined to a wheelchair Chesnutt had a hard time through the years and his songs often document it. | ||
| Allen Belz Member Username: Abpositive Post Number: 1729 Registered: 09-2006 |
Sad indeed... |