Terrible news: Singer-songwriter Vic Chesnutt is in a coma. Only two days ago, I listed his album At the Cut at No. 2 on my best records of 2009… And the two shows I saw by him in 2009 rank among the year’s best performances. He’s an amazing musician, and I really, really hope we all have the chance to see him perform again.
Update (12/25/09, 2 a.m.): According to sources including Spinner, Vic Chesnutt is dead. What a loss.
Update (12/25/09, 9:37 a.m.): I’m wondering now what the actual situation is with Chesnutt. It appears that Billboard reported he had died, and then changed it story back to saying he is in a coma. Here’s a rundown of what various sites reported: http://trueslant.com/leorgalil/2009/12/24/vic-chesnutt-reported-dead/
In any case, the situation looks grim for Chesnutt fans. I highly recommend listening to the “Fresh Air” interview with Chesnutt from last month, in which he talks about previous suicide attempts and his struggles to pay medical bills. In spite of it all, Chesnutt sounds optimistic in many ways in this interview, talking about how he wasn’t ready for death.
Update (12/25/09, 12:51 p.m. CST): Spinner changed its Vic Chesnutt story. (I’m not sure exactly when.) “his label … confirms [he] is still in a coma.”