Jay Bennett, a former member of the band Wilco, died Sunday at his home in Urbana, Ill. The multi-instrumentalist was recording his fifth studio album when he died at age 45.
An announcement from Undertow Music Collective, which released one of Bennett's solo albums, reported the musician died in his sleep, adding, "Jay was a beautiful human being who will be missed."
The cause of Bennett's death is not yet known.
With Wilco, Bennett played on the albums Being There, Summerteeth, and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, as well as their Mermaid Avenue collaborations with Billy Bragg, all between 1994 and 2001. Bennett also wrote and produced songs for the band.
Bennett's creative partnership with Wilco lead singer Jeff Tweedy ended when Bennett left the band, and his departure became the subject of a 2002 film documentary, I am Trying to Break Your Heart.
This month, Bennett filed a lawsuit against Tweedy, claiming $50,000 in royalties for five albums he made with the group. Bennett was also seeking compensation for I am Trying to Break Your Heart.
Bennett founded the power-pop band Titanic Love Affair, which split up after three albums in the mid-90s. Shortly afterward, while working in a VCR repair shop, Bennett was enlisted by Wilco founder Tweedy to play guitar.
After leaving Wilco, Bennett released several solo albums and produced music for other artists.
Wilco is currently touring in Spain.
Prior to the lawsuit, Bennett made an announcement on his MySpace page that he would need hip replacement surgery.
Chronicling the injury, which he sustained during a stage performance with Titanic Love Affair, Bennett wrote, "This whole experience has really taught me to look both inward and outward for support, and I've learned things about myself that I thought I had completely figured out years ago.
"Family and friends have helped me to keep faith in a future that will actually be much more carefree than my constricted present state."
Bennett was born in 1963 in the suburb of Rolling Meadows, Ill.
With files from the Associated PressShare Tools
- Spider-Man trailer: fresh take or more of the same?by Arts Online Feb. 7, 2012 5:15 PM Spider-Man? Yes. Amazing? Maybe. The first full-length trailer for The Amazing Spider-Man -- the reboot of the comic-turned-movie trilogy -- has been released. But considering the previous movie franchise ended a mere five years ago and that we've been bombarded with stories about the troubled Broadway musical adaptation since then, this reboot does beg the question: Do we really need to revisit Spider-Man?
Top News Headlines
- HMCS Corner Brook collision damage extensive
- The damage done to HMCS Corner Brook when it hit the ocean floor off B.C.'s coast last summer was more extensive than first reported, CBC News has learned by obtaining exclusive pictures of the submarine. more »
- Mandatory gun sentence struck down by Ontario judge
- An Ontario Superior Court judge has struck down a mandatory minimum sentence for a first offence of possessing a loaded firearm. more »
- O Canada! 12 Flag Day stories of patriotism
- Ahead of tomorrow's Flag Day celebrations, our readers shared some of their proudest Canadian moments. Here are some of the best. more »
- UN raises fears of civil war in Syria
- Syrian government forces renewed their assault on the rebellious city of Homs on Tuesday, activists said, as the UN human rights chief raised fears of civil war. more »
Latest Arts & Entertainment News Headlines
- Tintin in the Congo ban tossed by Belgian court
- A Belgian court has rejected a claim that Tintin in the Congo is racist and tossed a request to withdraw the controversial comic book. more »
- CBC digital music service launched
- CBC is diving into the world of online music with the goal of providing listeners access to their favourite tunes, and a way to discover new artists and connect with fellow music fans. more »
- Grammy ratings surge on Whitney Houston tributes
- The 54th annual Grammy Awards pulled in its largest audience since 1984 on Sunday night, as the music industry paid tribute to Whitney Houston following her sudden death. more »
- Henry Kissinger in running for Lionel Gelber Prize
- Nobel Prize-winner Henry Kissinger has been nominated for Canada's Lionel Gelber Prize for his book On China. more »
Q Blog
Enter our Six-Word Modern Love Story Contest! Feb. 13, 2012 10:50 AM The goal is simple: tell a full and rich modern love tale in just six words. Funny. Sad. Sexy. Or futuristic sexy, the kind with spaceships. Winners announced on Q's February 14th Modern Love special.
CBC Books
Exploring black Canadian literature Feb. 13, 2012 5:22 PM Throughout February, literary journalist Donna Bailey Nurse will be blogging about black Canadian writers and their important works. In her first post, she explains how she came to love reading and mentions some of the writers who have inspired her most.
- HMCS Corner Brook collision damage extensive
- Whitney Houston's body now at N.J. funeral home
- Online surveillance critics siding with child porn: Toews
- Mandatory gun sentence struck down by Ontario judge
- Stanley Cup rioter seen in brick attack on cop
- Whitney Houston estate value set to soar
- Man pleads guilty to murder of stepdaughter, 17
- Whitney Houston's body headed home to New Jersey
- HIV-positive B.C. man jailed for assault, child porn
