Videos by American Songwriter
Vic Chesnutt, who died last month, was a hero to many, and the shock of his loss is still reverberating. Pitchfork has crafted a tribute to his career, which delves both into his character and his songwriting.
The online taste-makers have also selected 15 representative tracks from his discography, from 1990’s “Isadora Duncan” to 2009’s “Flirting All My Life,” from the excellent At The Cut.
What were your feelings on the man? What were, in your opinion, his best albums and songs? Let us know.
Here’s a Q&A American Songwriter did with Chesnutt in 2009.
I love him, there’s nobody else like him. West of Rome was my favorite album for a long time, with Is the Actor Happy a close second, but then Ghetto Bells came out, and that was my favorite. But the last three, hard to choose among them…There are albums of his that I love a little less than others but none I don’t like. And his live performances were really amazing. I hope people are able to separate his suicide from the music enough to hear how amazing it is on its own terms. I’ll never forget him. I’ll still be playing the albums and the live shows– Southern Shelter and the Live Music Archive have quite a few.
R.I.P., man, wish you were still here but thanks for
what you gave before you left.
I first saw Vic perform (solo) at the Point in Atlanta, opening for Bob Mould. As with so many challenging creations, his music didn’t appeal to me initially. I later “rediscovered” Vic via the Sweet Relief release and was hooked. West of Rome and Is the Actor Happy are long-time favorites, but I find Left to his own Devices so pure and unadulterated, that I’d have to say it’s my “all time” favorite (Vic told me once it was his favorite). I had the pleasure of experiencing Vic perform on numerous occasions, both solo and with a band… and I left each concert with a feeling of catharsis. I was shocked and deeply saddened by his untimely death, but “I respect a man who goes to where he wants to be even if he wants to be dead”. Thanks for everything you gave us, Vic. You are missed.