Jay Bennett Died Of Accidental Overdose

06/23/09 4:39pm

by Kate Harper (CHARTattack)

Former Wilco member Jay Bennett died of an accidental pain-killer overdose.

The Champaign County coroner's office ran tests that indicate Bennett died of an overdose from fentanyl, which is usually prescribed to treat chronic pain, according to the Chicago Tribune newspaper.

Bennett, who was a member of Wilco from 1994 to 2001, died in his sleep at his home in Urbana, Ill. on May 24. He revealed he needed "complete hip replacement" surgery in an April 24 MySpace blog entry. He said his ailment had been caused by "a decade plus of multiple nightly stage jumps and various other rock and roll theatrics." It is not known if Bennett had been prescribed pain-killers to treat his hip pain.

Bennett sued Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy for breach of contract over unpaid royalties and other payments before his death last month. He was seeking damages of at least $50,000 U.S. (about $57,800 Canadian) and wanted to be compensated for appearing in 2002's I Am Trying To Break Your Heart documentary, which was about the making of that year's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.

Wilco's seventh studio album, Wilco (The Album), will be released on June 30.

You can see Wilco here:

June 23, 25 Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern Theater w/Jonathan Wilson
June 26 Saratoga, CA @ The Mountain Winery w/Okkervil River
June 27 Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre w/Okkervil River
June 28 Stateline, NV @ Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena w/Okkervil River
June 30 Jacksonville, OR @ Britt Pavilion w/Okkervil River
July 3 Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre w/Okkervil River
July 8 Vienna, VA @ Wolf Trap w/Conor Oberst And The Mystic Valley Band
July 10 Wilmington, DE @ Frawley Stadium w/Conor Oberst And The Mystic Valley Band
July 11 Lowell, MA @ LeLacheur Park w/Conor Oberst And The Mystic Valley Band
July 13 Brooklyn, NY @ Keyspan Park w/Yo La Tengo
July 17 Portland, ME @ Maine State Pier w/Conor Oberst And The Mystic Valley Band
July 18 Wappingers Falls, NY @ Dutchess Stadium w/Conor Oberst And The Mystic Valley Band
July 19 Lewiston, NY @ Art Park w/Conor Oberst And The Mystic Valley Band
July 21 Royal Oak, MI @ Royal Oak Theatre
July 23 Detroit Lakes, MN @ Soo Ranch Pass (10,000 Lakes Festival)
Aug. 13 Oslo, Norway @ Oyafestivalen
Aug. 14 Gothenburg, Sweden @ Way Out West Festival
Aug. 17 Helsinki, Finland @ Helsinki Festival
Aug. 20 Hasselt, Belgium @ Pukkelpop Festival
Aug. 21 Erfurt-Hohenfelden, Denmark @ Highfield Festival
Aug. 22 Biddinghuizen, Netherlands @ Lowlands Festival
Aug. 23 Brecon Beacons, Wales @ Green Man Festival
Aug. 25 London, England @ Troxy
Aug. 27-28 Dublin, Ireland @ Vicar Street