The Memphis Commercial Appeal is reporting that Alex Chilton has died in New Orelans of an apparent heart attack at the age of 59. One of the true giants of rock and roll, even if he never became a household name outside a circle of fellow musicians and music obsessives, Chilton’s recording career began at the age of 16 when he served as a the throaty voice behind a string of blue-eyed soul and pop-psychedelic hits by The Box Tops. The group scored a #1 hit with its first single, “The Letter,” in 1967 and a #2 the following year with “Cry Like A Baby.” By 1970 the group’s fortunes had dimmed, however, and Chilton appeared destined to become one of many musicians whose fleeting success failed to translate into a career.
But a funny thing happened on the way to obscurity: Chilton formed a band with fellow singer/songwriter Chris Bell, drummer Jody Stephens and bassist Andy Hummell. Calling themselves Big Star after a Memphis grocery chain, the band released its debut album, #1 Record, to critical acclaim and commercial indifference. The reasons for the former remain self-evident. #1 Record find the band putting its own distinctive stamp on the great pop tradition of other “B” bands and can stand shoulder to shoulder with the best of the Beatles, Byrds, and Beach Boys. Alternating muscular power pop like “Feel” and “In The Street” (the latter familiar to many as the theme to That ’70s Show) with delicate ballads like “Thirteen”, it’s a melancholy testament to teen angst and pop hooks.