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Jay Bennett's Family Issues Letter to Fans After His Death

As previously reported, ex-Wilco multi-instrumentalist Jay Bennett passed away on Monday, in his sleep. While the cause of death is still publicly unknown, his family sent an email out to his mailing list on Wednesday morning, hoping to clear up some potential rumors ... and to end things on a high note.

The email states that "Jay was in a really good place these past few years" and that, contrary to common perception, he looked back on his seven years with Wilco both fondly and proudly. He was knee-deep in work on another solo album and was also taking graduate classes to pursue his "umpteenth degree" at the time of his death.

Most notably, the message clears up any misconceptions about Bennett's battle with Wilco, which he took public earlier this month (in an attempt to recoup money he claimed he was rightfully owed). According to the email, the lawsuit was four years in the making, was very emotional and stressing for Bennett, and had nothing to do with his impending hip surgery. In a post that he wrote on his MySpace blog in April, Bennett revealed that he did not have health insurance and was trying to scrape together money for long-overdue and urgently needed hip surgery.

The email ends with a message of love. Literally. While many fans have paid homage to Bennett this week by pulling out their favorite Bennett-era Wilco albums, the email urges fans to "listen to a Nick Lowe album, watch some 'Mythbusters' on Discovery, play Warren Zevon's 'Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner,' rent 'Pay It Forward' (one of his favorite movies), write a song with the TV on and the sound off."

The email ends with: "...and focus on how Jay always concluded his communications: Love, Jay."

Dearly Departed Musicians

    Dolla, May 18: The Atlanta-based rapper, whose real name is Roderick Anthony Burton II, was gunned down outside a Los Angeles mall. Burton's publicist told reporters he was waiting at a valet stand after a shopping trip when a gunman shot him. The The 'Make a Toast' star was 21. A suspect is in custody.

    Frazer Harrison, Getty Images

    Stephen Bruton: The guitarist and songwriter, who worked with the likes of Kris Kristofferson, Bonnie Raitt and Willie Nelson, died from complications of throat cancer in May 2009. He was 60.

    Ebet Roberts/Redferns , Getty Images

    Ean Evans: The Lynyrd Skynyrd bassist died in May 2009 after what the band called "a valiant battle with an aggressive form of cancer."

    Rusty Russell , Getty Images

    Vern Gosdin, April 29: The country hit-maker, best known for songs like 'I Can Tell By the Way You Dance (You're Gonna Love Me Tonight)' and 'I'm Still Crazy,' died in Nashville from complications due to a stroke.

    Chuck Krall / Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images

    Rev. Timothy Wright, April 23, 2009:The two-time Grammy-nominated gospel singer died following a July car crash that took the lives of his wife and his grandson.

    Mark Q. Murray, AP

    David "Pop" Winans, April 9, 2009: The gospel music patriarch -- BeBe and CeCe are his kids -- was twice nominated for Grammys, in 1989 for his album with wife Delores, pictured, and again in 1999 for a solo album. He died at a Nashville hospice, seven months after suffering a heart attack and stroke.

    Arnold Turner, WireImage / Getty Images

    Bud Shank, April 2, 2009: The alto saxophonist and flutist died at age 82. He was most famous for his work with acts like the Mamas and the Papas and his flute work can be heard on their song 'California Dreamin'.'

    GAB Archive / Redferns / Getty Images

    Hal Durham, March 29, 2009: He was a fixture on the Grand Ole Opry stage, working at the famed country music institution for 32 years. He was 77.

    Donnie Beauchamp, Gaylord Entertainment / AP

    Dan Seals, March 25, 2009: The singer, who scored a number of pop and country hits, died at 61 of leukemia. Seals was half of the pop duo, England Dan and John Ford Coley, best known for the ballad, 'I'd Really Love to See You Tonight.'

    Beth Gwinn, Retna

    Uriel Jones, March 24, 2009: One of the original members of the Funk Brothers, a Motown group that played with Marvin Gaye and The Temptations, Jones died after suffering complications from a heart attack. He was 74.

    Tabatha Fireman, Redferns / Getty Images

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chris

Why is it that when something like this happens the bigots and racists come out of the woodwork? Nobody has stayed on topic. And frankly lets be honest,whenever a rapper is killed it's mainly Whites who get on message boards and throw picnics. All of these generalizations and blanket statements are always the same. Over and over and over again. "Rap music promotes violence",somebody will eventually call it "c"rap music". "It's not a "real" artform". "Rappers are not "real" musicians". I could come off the top of my head right now and name a dozen or so rappers who are positive. But positivity doesn't push cd's. I hate to tell you but rap music (which is a only ONE Element of Hip Hop)has been around for over 30 years and it's not going anywhere. Just like that rock and roll "fad" you know that "race music" from the 50's. Then when some of you get on your soapboxes preaching from on high. But NOBODY has answered any of the points I've made in my previous posts. Lol! What about this so-called White Power music that,by definition calls for GENOCIDE of all non-whites? It's hard for me to believe that all of you highly educated,model citizens,who fight that evil Black "crap music" tooth and nail,are so oblivious to WP skinhead music. Why do some of you concerned citizens let VIOLENT action flicks and horror flicks slide from your "judgement"? Surely being able to "SEE" and "HEAR" the violence on the big screen is much more detrimental than just "HEARING" it on a cd. It seems to me that most of you are pretty SELECTIVE in what you demonize.

May 29 2009 at 6:59 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Daniel

God bless you Dolla.

May 29 2009 at 4:25 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
MELODY

People talk hate, guns, and hunting to their kids. Just because they do, does that mean they kill people? There are some stupid people in the world, stupid isn't against the law yets, and unfortunatley some stupid people have guns. Music hasn't killed anyone that I know of.

May 29 2009 at 3:47 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jackie

Interesting that the only comments are about the rapper who died, and not about the lead story. A young man, dying unexpectedly in his youth, and all any of you can talk about is the rapper. In case you missed it, the lead story is about Jay Bennett, who neither was shot nor was a rapper. Instead, he was a multi-talented young man with much musical promise who died quietly at home.

Most of you are too young, and too illiterate, to know a very famous quote by John Donne, but you should become familiar with his words. He said, "no man is an island, complete unto himself. Each man's death diminishes me because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee." (Meditation 17) It means, put simply, that every person is a part of the whole of mankind, therefore every death takes a part of that whole away, which is a loss to us all.

Each of the young men who died were a part of mankind as a whole, with talents and lives still to live. Regardless of their method of dying, both died prematurely, before fulfilling their promise. As such, both deaths are sad.

May 29 2009 at 2:54 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Tompetty

AND FOR GIVE THE SPELLING i CAN SPELL JUST CAN'T TYPE LOL
PEACE OUT

May 29 2009 at 1:49 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Tompetty

well I for one do not like RAP I sam a proffessional in the business I play for an orchestra and rap is a waste of SOME good talent. as far as rejoiceing it tells us in the bible to rejoise death and mourn birth I do believe

May 29 2009 at 1:48 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
ron

What rapper are these clowns talking about.Wilco is a country folk rock band.

May 29 2009 at 1:05 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Aiasha

Seriously folks are we trying to change racism on a blog. I don't listen to rap and I can't say I know who this kid was but, he was just that "a kid". But imagine if he was reading these hateful comments and then ask yourself why they are filled with violence. Racist idiots exist in our every day life and then we are suppose to ignore it. Before you condemn a whole race, try looking in the mirror and at your children and what type of monster your sending into society, might be the next Manson, Gein, Bundy, Dahmer or Gacy.
Education is a wonderful thing!!!! BLACK is BEAUTIFUL

May 29 2009 at 12:22 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Joe

Poor kid. When video games replaced family and relationships, his generation's reality is that when you get shot or stabbed to death, all you have to do is press the 'restart game' button.

May 29 2009 at 12:14 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
wvlampworkartist

you bigots not only need to learn to live and let live but learn how to freakin' spell. Stupid backwoods asshole idiots!

R.I.P. young man.

May 29 2009 at 12:07 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply