• AOL
  • MAIL
    • You might also like: 
    • Music | 
    • Movies | 
    • TV | 
    • Celebrity News
    •  and More
    • Main
    • Features
      • The Hit List
      • Spinner Interview
      • Tributes & Essays
      • Potent Quotables
      • Music Appreciation
    • Songs
      • Free MP3 of the Day
      • Full CD Listening Party
      • What's That Song?
      • Listen Up!
    • Videos
      • The Interface
      • Sessions
      • Video of the Day
      • All Videos
    • Radio
      • AOL Radio
      • AOL Radio Toolbar
      • Shoutcast
    • AOL Music Sites
      • The Boot
      • The BoomBox
      • Noisecreep
      • PopEater
    • Lyrics
    • Send Feedback

    Spinner Exclusives

    • The Interface - Live Performances
    • Listening Parties - New CDS for Free
    • Spinner Radio
    • Listening Parties - New CDS for Free

    Features

    • Best Opening Lyrics
    • Cinema Music Geeks
    • College Songs
    • Sad Songs
    • School Songs

    All Categories

    • A Day in the Life(2)
    • All About Jazz(55)
    • Around the World(164)
    • Book Club(76)
    • Celebrity Doppelganger(16)
    • Clash of the Cover Songs(48)
    • Coming Out Stories(20)
    • Concerts and Tours(5076)
    • Count Five(68)
    • Exclusive(3768)
    • Free MP3 Download of the Day(1113)
    • Grammy Awards(87)
    • Guest Blogger(96)
    • Holy Hell(780)
    • I Fought the Law(48)
    • I Freakin' Love This Song(239)
    • Listen Up!(7)
    • Movies(260)
    • Music Appreciation(79)
    • New Music(445)
    • New Releases(136)
    • News(7500)
    • Picture Book(4)
    • Politics as Usual(37)
    • Pop Culture(48)
    • Potent Quotables(750)
    • Q + A(32)
    • Quizzes & Trivia(3)
    • R.I.P.(264)
    • Road Report(25)
    • Rock Almanac(366)
    • Rock Hall(35)
    • RPM(25)
    • Spinner Essay(9)
    • Spinner Says(7)
    • Spinner Interview(138)
    • Television(128)
    • The Chum Bucket(738)
    • The Hit List(1210)
    • Twisted Tales(155)
    • Video(1217)
    • Video of the Day(854)
    • What's That Song?(100)

    Vic Chesnutt in Coma, Family Confirms

    • Posted on Dec 24th 2009 5:14PM by Benjy Eisen
    • Comments (6)
    Email This
    Vic ChesnuttIn tragic news, the New York Times has reported that singer-songwriter Vic Chesnutt is in a coma. While the cause is technically unconfirmed, it is widely believed to be the result of a suicide attempt.

    News about Chesnutt's condition initially spread via Twitter by his friend and fellow singer-songwriter Kristin Hersh, who sent out the following tweet on Thursday: "Yeah, I can tell you what I know but no one knows much: another suicide attempt, looks bad, coma -- if he survives, there may be brain damage." An hour later, Hersh wrote, "This time, it's real scary: *this* time, he left a note, *this* time, he asked them to call me."

    Chesnutt, 45, was a paraplegic since the age of 18 and struggled with unending health problems which led to unruly hospital bills. He told Spinner earlier this year that "right now, I am in huge trouble in that the hospital is suing me for $35,000 for payment, which is terrifying -- and the rub is that I have health insurance."

    His most recent album, 'At the Cut,' featured members of Fugazi, Godspeed You Black Emperor and Silver Mt. Zion Orchestra. Like virtually all of Chesnutt's songs, the subjects dealt with pain, suffering, mortality and desertion.

    Chesnutt first grabbed national attention in 1996 when his songs were covered by an impressive list of musicians -- including Madonna, R.E.M., Smashing Pumpkins and Indigo Girls -- on a compilation for Sweet Relief, an organization benefiting musicians without health insurance. Chesnutt was grateful for the exposure but told Spinner, "When I talked to Sweet Relief about my problem recently, they were just like 'Woah, that's too big of a problem for us. You're going to have to talk to somebody else about that.'"

    Our thoughts go out to Chesnutt, his family and friends during this difficult time.
    • Filed under: News
    • Print Email This

    Related Articles

    from Spinner

    • New Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse Release Dedicated to Vic Chesnutt

      137 days ago

    • Kristin Hersh Talks About Her ’Musical Shin’

      10 days ago

    • Spinner’s Daily SXSW Roundup

      178 days ago

    • Matthew Mayfield Interview: SXSW 2010

      174 days ago

    Reader Comments(1 of 1)

    vote downvote upReportHigh Ranked

    StrangerInMoscowat 12-25-2009

    Be Free,...Find the light,...God Bless!!!!

    Reply
    vote downvote upReportHigh Ranked

    estebanat 12-25-2009

    Actually his most recent album is SKITTER ON TAKE-OFF, which came out a few weeks after AT THE CUT. It was recorded and produced by Jonathan Richman.

    Reply
    vote downvote upReportNeutral

    Justin Anthony Knappat 12-25-2009

    Will someone please delete the spam here?

    God bless Vic and his loved ones at this time. Christmas just got a little less merry and a lot more bittersweet. I'm going to go listen to his last two albums.

    -JAK

    Reply

    Add your comments

    • New Users
    • Returning Users
    • AOL/AIM Screenname

    If you are posting a comment for the first time, please enter your name and email address in the fields above. Your name will be displayed with your comment. Your email address will never be displayed.

    Please keep your comments relevant to this blog entry. Off-topic, promotional or otherwise inappropriateinappropriate comments will be removed.

    When you enter your name and email address for the first time, you'll be sent a link to confirm your comment, as well as a password. To leave another comment, just use that password.

    Follow US

    Facebook
    Twitter
    RSS
    • Contact Us
    • Send News Tips
    • Advertise with Us

    Shop Now

    Listen to Full CDs

    • Jenny and Johnny, 'I'm Having Fun...'
    • Neon Indian, 'Psychic Chasms...'
    • The Weepies, 'Be My Thrill'
    • Film School, 'Fission'
    • Shonen Knife, 'Free Time'
    • All Spinner Full CDs
    Also on AOL

    Quick Links

    • Slipknot Masks
    • Summer Songs
    • Funny Music Videos
    • Worst Songs

    Also on AOL Music

    • Concert Tickets
    • Grammys
    • Music Videos
    • New Music Releases

    Blogs on AOL

    • Country Music
    • Hip Hop Music
    • Metal Music
    • Pop Music News

    More on AOL

    • Best Lyrics
    • Best Metal Songs
    • Break Up Songs
    • Online Radio

    More on AOL

    • Christmas Music
    • Classic Rock Songs
    • Best Songs of 2010
    • SHOUTcast

    Help Links

    • Advertise With Us
    • Notify AOL
    • Privacy Policy
    • Trademarks
    • Follow Spinner on Twitter
    • The Interface
    • Free MP3
    • Full CDs
    • RSS
    • Terms of Use

    Spinner.com © 2010 AOL Inc. All Rights Reserved.