Alex Chilton From Box Tops and Big Star Dead

by Amy Judd | March 17, 2010 at 07:10 pm

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Music Legend Alex Chilton is Dead Today in New Orleans of Suspected Heart Attack

Alex Chilton, a singer and guitarist known for his work with the Box Tops act in the 60s and the Big Star act in the 70s has died on Wednesday in New Orleans.

It is suspected that Chilton died of a heart attack. He was 59 years old. According to The Commercial Appeal Chilton was complaining earlier on Wednesday about his health and was taken by paramedics to the hospital, but he was pronounced dead.

Jody Stephens, also from the Big Star act confirmed the news to the press this evening stating:

"Alex passed away a couple of hours ago,"

The band was scheduled to perform at the South by Southwest Festival this Saturday in Austin Texas. Stephens said:

"I don’t have a lot of particulars, but they kind of suspect that it was a heart attack."

Alex Chilton first became known in the music world when he was just 16 with the hit The Letter. He had a brief solo career after the Box Tops ended in the 70s, but quickly joined up with Big Star.

"I’m crushed. We’re all just crushed," said Ardent founder John Fry, who engineered most of the Big Star sessions. "This sudden death experience is never something that you’re prepared for. And yet it occurs."