Remembering Jay Bennett

Jay Bennett, formerly of the band Wilco, who passed away on May 24th at the age of 45 was a complex figure. A talented artist, Bennett could play any instrument, you name it, he could play it. I mean anything from guitar, piano, organ, banjo, bass, drums, etc. He wasn’t just a musician he was an instrumentalist that could write songs and produce. Musicians today do not come in a complete package, as did Jay Bennett.

As talented musician as he was, Jay was not the easiest to get along with. His personality is best described by his friend and fellow musician from Champaign, Don Gerard, “Whether you loved him or hated him (and most of us who loved him had a hard time not hating him every now and again) there is no question he was a genius of which we will rarely see again.”

Old bandmate, Jeff Tweedy, whom Jay had recently sued over royalties from a documentary he was part of, held no ill will towards his old friend. He and Wilco are touring in Europe right now, and in response to the heartrending news, Jeff said, “We are all deeply saddened by this tragedy. We will miss Jay as we remember him—as a truly unique and gifted human being and one who made welcome and significant contributions to the band’s songs and evolution. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends in this very difficult time.”

Although, he has his ups and downs with the close people in his life, they all seem to agree that, ”Jay was a beautiful human being who will be missed” as stated on his label Undertow Music Collective’s website. If you don’t know much about Jay Bennett, you should check out some of his best work:

• Summerteeth with Wilco
• Being There with Wilco
• Yankee Hotel Foxtrot with Wilco
• The Magnificent Defeat

Complex or not, Jay Bennett will be dearly missed by family, friends and fans everywhere. What is your favorite memory of Jay?