| Rock Musician Alex Chilton Dead: Rock Musician | | | | "[He] always messed with your head, charming |
| and Influential singer Alex Chilton, has died aged | | | | and amazing you while doing so," he said."His gift |
| 59. Alex Chilton, singer/guitarist of the massively | | | | for melody was second to none, yet he |
| influential power-pop act Big Star has died. He was | | | | frequently seemed in disdain of that gift." |
| 59. | | | | Bands including REM, Wilco, Teenage Fanclub and |
| According to BBC News, Chilton died in hospital in | | | | Primal Scream credited Big Star as an influence. |
| New Orleans after experiencing what appeared to | | | | As a teenage singer for the pop-soul outfit the |
| be heart problems, a friend said. | | | | Box Tops, Chilton topped the charts with the |
| The musician topped the charts as a teenager | | | | band's song The Letter in 1967. Their other hits |
| and formed rock band Big Star in the 1970s. He | | | | were Soul Deep and Cry Like a Baby. |
| also enjoyed a solo career spanning many genres | | | | Big Star, which he formed in 1971 with guitarist |
| of music. | | | | co-songwriter Chris Bell, drummer Jody Stephens |
| Chilton had been due to perform with Big Star at | | | | and bassist Andy Hummel, brought less |
| the South by Southwest music festival in Texas, | | | | mainstream success but made him a cult hero. |
| on Saturday. | | | | John Fry, the owner of Memphis-based Ardent |
| | | | Studios and a long-time friend of Chilton's, said he |
| Musical gift | | | | was taken to hospital on Wednesday after |
| Brent Gulke, the festival's creative director, paid | | | | complaining of feeling unwell. |
| tribute to Chilton. | | | | |