Influential Guitarist, Singer Alex Chilton Dies; known for influential work with Box Tops, Big Star

ABC News ^ | March 17, 2010

[nickcarraway]

Singer and guitarist Alex Chilton, known for his influential work with bands the Box Tops and Big Star, has died. He was 59.

Chilton's longtime friend John Fry says that Chilton died Wednesday at a hospital in New Orleans after experiencing what appeared to be heart problems.

Fry, the owner of Memphis-based Ardent Studios, says he has spoken to Chilton's wife and that she's very distressed. Fry said: "It was just a sudden and unexpected event."

Chilton had been scheduled to perform with Big Star on Saturday at the South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas.

SNIP

Gulke says: "Alex Chilton always messed with your head, charming and amazing you while doing so."

[nickcarraway]

The Letter

[dr_who]

He was associated with a grocery store chain?

[mylife]

Holy shit!Alex Chilton dead?

A very talented musician.

RIP

Sorry I never saw him in some lil joint in Memphis.

[mylife]

Alex Chilton

[mylife]

Prolly my fave Chilton song....FREE AGAIN

[mylife]

Alex Chilton~ I Can Dig It

[Constitution Day]

Oh man! I’ll have the song by The Replacements in my head all day tomorrow.

RIP Alex.

[mylife]

Alex Chilton~ Lost My Job

[Constitution Day]

Thanks for the links.

[wku man]

That's not a good version of what's a really a**-kicking Replacements song. I never saw Alex Chilton perform, and was not ever really into the Memphis sound, but he inspired one helluva Replacements tune, so I'll hoist one in his honor.

Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!

[mylife]

It’s all I could find.

[mylife]

One of my buds saw him in Memphis in a some seedy lil club.

He ranted and raved about how good the show was. That and the ribs

[mylife]

It was the raw demo version

[bushinohio]

Alex was a mere 16 when he recorded “The Letter”. He doesn't sound like a 16 year old does he? The 60s was such a great decade for music (not so much for politics), too bad fewer and fewer of these people are around anymore.

[nickcarraway]

Even younger and better than Steve Winwood the next year.

[mylife]

Just to see you.

[HHFi]

Bummer news to read, just as I was returning happy from seeing Ray Davies at the Palladium in Dallas. He dedicated "The Hard Way" from the Kinks' "Schoolboys In Disgrace" LP to Doug Fieger of the Knack, who once covered it, and now he's gone, too. But Ray is as great as ever, still making terrific new music and seems 20 years younger than his age on stage. Beats me how he can seem so young when his contemporary Mick Jagger looks like the Mummy.

BTW, he's really great to his fans. I hung around with the crowd outside and he autographed my copies of "Soap Opera" and "Come Dancing," along with everything everyone else brought, and posed for photos in the cold for 20 minutes. I hope he didn't catch a chill. I want him to live forever.

[abb]

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/mar/17/memphis-musician-alex-chilton-dies/
Memphis music loses ‘Big Star’ — singer, songwriter Alex Chilton dies at 59

[mylife]

Thanks for the detail.

[a fool in paradise]

RIP

Maybe the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will recognize him now that he's gone.