Remembering the singer-songwriter Alex Chilton
Chilton rose to fame as the lead singer of The Box Tops while still a teenager. The band’s 1967 hit, “The Letter,” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a timeless classic and his solo career and with Big Star, which spanned several decades has achieved iconic and cult status. He was born on this day in 1950
Remembering the singer-songwriter Alex Chilton
A highly influential figure in American music known for his raw talent and unique voice, on genres like power pop, rock, and soul, Alex Chilton, was born on December 28, 1950, in Memphis, Tennessee.
Chilton rose to fame as the lead singer of The Box Tops, a Memphis-based blue-eyed soul group, while still a teenager. The band’s 1967 hit, “The Letter,” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a timeless classic. Other hits like “Cry Like a Baby” solidified his reputation as a prodigious talent.
In the 1970s, Chilton became a founding member of Big Star, a band whose blend of jangly guitars, heartfelt lyrics, and melodic brilliance defined the power-pop genre. Although Big Star’s albums, such as #1 Record and Radio City, did not achieve commercial success at the time, they later garnered critical acclaim and influenced countless artists, including R.E.M. and The Replacements.
Chilton’s solo career, which spanned several decades, showcased his eclectic style, ranging from punk and jazz to blues and rock. He embraced a DIY ethos, often recording on modest budgets and rejecting mainstream expectations.
Chilton lived much of his later life in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he remained active in music, performing with various bands and nurturing the local scene.
Alex Chilton passed away on March 17, 2010, in New Orleans, at the age of 59. He suffered a heart attack just days before he was scheduled to perform at the South by Southwest (SXSW) music festival.
His work with Big Star, in particular, has achieved iconic status, inspiring generations of musicians.
Look back at The Box Tops performing the classic “The Letter” in 1967
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