RIP Alex Chilton

[youtube]wD9mCp8SifM[/youtube]

Slouchy and gravelly, Mr. Chilton had a #1 hit at the age of sixteen with “The Letter.”  He went on to a critically acclaimed (if not commercially very successful) career, first with Big Star and then solo; a younger generation knows his name best from a 1987 college rock hit by The Replacements, and the kids of today probably know his name because the Replacements song was on a Rock Band game.  (Seriously, search Youtube, it’s sad.)

The singer passed away today at the age of 59, according to the Memphis Commerical Appeal.

After the jump, some more highlights from his lengthy career:Here’s Big Star’s “Thank You Friends”, from the album #1 Record:

[youtube]JC0Wa3P_dO0[/youtube]

From that same album, here’s the single “Thirteen,” a song I actually knew first as a Garbage b-side:

[youtube]pte3Jg-2Ax4[/youtube]

Here’s an NSFW-ish video for his 1978 single “Bangkok”:

[youtube]_6svj7JGgVk[/youtube]

And here’s The Bangles covering Big Star’s “September Gurls”:

[youtube]FsQmqDiYhOQ[/youtube]