Friday 25 December 2009

Vic Chesnutt RIP Still in coma


Vic Chesnutt, a singer-songwriter known for his painful and poignant songs, died tonight (Dec. 24) after an apparent suicide attempt. The news was reported by numerous Internet sources and confirmed for Billboard.com by Henry Owings, a writer and friend of Chesnutt's from Athens, Ga. An official statement from Chesnutt's family has not yet been released. He was 45.
 The news about the singer's condition first spread through the Internet on Wednesday through Twitter posts by former Throwing Muses singer Kristin Hersh, who has collaborated with Chesnutt.
 "Another suicide attempt, looks bad, coma--if he survives, there may be brain damage," said Hersh in one of her posts. "This time, it's real scary: *this* time, he left a note, *this* time, he asked them to call me."
 Chesnutt, 45, has been in a wheelchair since a car accident when he was 18, and was discovered in the late '80s by R.E.M. singer Michael Stipe, who produced his first two albums. Since then, Chesnutt has released 13 more albums, including two this year, "At the Cut" and "Skitter on Take-Off."

3 comments:

  1. Oh that is too sad.
    VC was some kind of guy and Stupid Preoccupations just one of a slew of truly great songs.
    he was also an enthralling performer.
    Sayonara VC...

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  2. I hope he found some peace, and in a way it's good that his suffering is over. But, it's also highly demonstrative of how infuriating the state of healthcare is in the US. His life could have been so much easier, his burden lessened by orders of magnitude.

    I got to talk to Vic a few times when he played here, bought him a drink. He was the sweetest soul, but to look him in the eye was to look at suffering incarnate. He could barely hide it in his face.

    I now think about that face when I see Joe Lieberman on TV.

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  3. 2Ian/
    I couldn't agree more. So sad! I really do NOT know what it is you Americans are so scared of re universal healthcare (and obviously I do not mean you!) Crazy! When these teabagers and the like go on about 'government' I feel like pointing outwho builds the bloody roads!
    Regards/

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