How sad is this? Paul Hooson writing on the Wizbang Pop blog:

The wife of indie-music icon, Alex Chilton, Laura Kersting, revealed how the legendary singer was suffering serious heart symptoms recently, but had to delay seeking medical help due to a lack of health insurance. According to his wife, the 59 year old singer had been mowing the lawn recently, when he developed shortness of breath and chills. Chilton lived in New Orleans.

Chilton was the lead vocalist of The Box Tops, and had a multi-gold 4 million selling single with “The Letter” at the tender age of just 16. Chilton was scheduled for a reunion show with Big Star only days before he called his wife at work to say that he wasn’t feeling very well. She rushed home to get him, and while in the car, Chilton lost consciousness only a block before they arrived at the hospital emergency room door. Chilton was soon pronounced dead.

Chilton lived in a mixed race neighborhood in New Orleans. He and and his wife managed to survive the great storm that ruined the city in recent years. Strangely, Chilton chose to use a push mower to mow his own lawn, and lived a very humble life. Although, Chilton had sold several million records over his career, he never became wealthy.

Despite a string of great singles and a huge imprint on American power pop music, Alex Chilton was just your “Average Joe” musician.

Thanks Steven Otero!