Last week, rock n' roller extraordinaire Alex Chilton died of a heart attack at the age of 59. Described as a "cult icon" for his influence on countless indie rock groups (R.E.M., the Replacements, Teenage Fanclub, Pavement, and any number of '90s "alternative" groups), Chilton was, if anything, actually larger than his legend: international superstar at the age of 16 (singing lead on the Box Tops' classic "The Letter"); music industry casualty at 23 after his band Big Star broke up after recording three albums; sober and washing dishes in his thirties; and finally getting the recognition he'd so long deserved in his forties. You could write a book (people have), but when a musician passes, it's usually best to just let the tunes speak for themselves. Check out the 7 Alex Chilton songs you should know...
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