Alex Chilton died yesterday

[Heel n Toe]

Lead singer of the Box Tops... their biggest hits were "The Letter" and "Cry Like a Baby." Their music was important for the time... in the mix of all the different music of the 60's. Chilton had a classic bluesy, Memphis vocal style that rang through the air on AM radio "back in the day."




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Pop hitmaker, cult hero, and Memphis rock iconoclast Alex Chilton has died.

The singer and guitarist, best known as a member of '60s pop-soul act the Box Tops and the '70s power-pop act Big Star, died today at a hospital in New Orleans. Chilton, 59, had been complaining of about his health earlier today. He was taken by paramedics to the emergency room where he was pronounced dead. The cause of death is believed to be a heart attack.

His Big Star bandmate Jody Stephens confirmed the news this evening. "Alex passed away a couple of hours ago," Stephens said from Austin, Texas, where the band was to play Saturday at the annual South By Southwest Festival. "I don’t have a lot of particulars, but they kind of suspect that it was a heart attack."

The Memphis-born Chilton rose to prominence at age 16, when his gruff vocals powered Box Tops massive hit “The Letter.” The band would score several more hits, including “Cry Like a Baby” and “Neon Rainbow.”

After the Box Tops ended in 1970, Chilton had a brief solo run in New York before returning to Memphis. He soon joined forces with a group of Anglo-pop-obsessed musicians, fellow songwriter/guitarist Chris Bell, bassist Andy Hummel and drummer Jody Stephens, to form Big Star.

More:

Cry Like a Baby...The Passing of Alex Chilton - Americana and roots music - No Depression

[Heel n Toe]

Found another video of "The Letter"...this one supposedly also from '67. Can anyone identify the bizarre 12-string axe the lead guitarist is playing?

[kaisen]

Funny, my only memory of Alex Chilton is the reference in that song by the Replacements from about 1989

[arcsine]

Originally Posted by Heel n Toe

Found another video of "The Letter"...this one supposedly also from '67. Can anyone identify the bizarre 12-string axe the lead guitarist is playing?

From the Box Tops website "After returning to Memphis from military service with the Army Corps of Engineers in Germany, John (Evans) repaired and customized guitars and taught guitar at a number of established music stores. He had built an electric twelve-string guitar he had used in the Box Tops (now part of The Hard Rock Cafe collection)."

[TSNAPCRACKLEPOP]

And here I thought the value of my collection of auto repair mannuals just went thru the roof!!

[cwiert]

Originally Posted by kaisen

Funny, my only memory of Alex Chilton is the reference in that song by the Replacements from about 1989

"I'm in love...with that song...

[jtfreels]

it was the head line in the morning paper.

Memphis music loses ˜Big Star” singer, songwriter Alex Chilton dies at 59 » The Commercial Appeal


Jay

[kaisen]

Originally Posted by cwiert

"I'm in love...with that song...

"....... if he died in Memphis then that'd be cool, babe?...."

[kaisen]

If he was from Venus, would he feed us with a spoon?
If he was from Mars, wouldnt that be cool
Standing right on campus, would he stamp us in a pile?
Hangin' down in Memphis all the while

(Chorus)
Children by the million sing for Alex Chilton when he comes 'round
They sing "I'm in love. What's that song?
I'm in love with that song."

Cerebral rape and pillage in a village of his choice.
Invisible man who can sing in a visible voice.
Feeling like a hundred bucks, exchange good lucks face to face.
Checkin' his stash by the trash at St. Mark's place.

(Repeat chorus)

I never travel far, without a little Big Star

(Instrumental break)

Runnin' 'round the house, Mickey Mouse and the Tarot cards.
Falling asleep with a flop pop video on.
If he was from Venus, would he meet us on the moon?
If he died in Memphis, then that'd be cool, babe.

(Repeat chorus)

[Oh Haha]

Wow. We did that song in our bar sets. I didn't know there was a "real" Alex Chilton. duh