Biography
William Alexander Chilton, born on December 28, 1950, in Memphis, Tennessee, began his musical career at age 16 as the lead singer of the Memphis blue-eyed soul group the DeVilles, which was renamed the Box Tops under producer Dan Penn. Their 1967 hit 'The Letter' topped the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks, followed by top-10 success with 'Cry Like a Baby' and other singles like 'Neon Rainbow,' 'Choo Choo Train,' 'Sweet Cream Ladies, Forward March,' and 'Soul Deep,' though the group disbanded in 1970 amid diminishing returns.
Returning to Memphis in 1971 after a brief solo stint in New York, Chilton co-founded the power pop band Big Star with Chris Bell at Ardent Studios, releasing the critically acclaimed #1 Record (1972) featuring tracks like 'The Ballad of El Goodo' and Radio City (1974) with the iconic 'September Gurls.' Distribution issues limited commercial success, and Bell left before Radio City; the band's influence grew later among alternative rock acts. Chilton's solo career in the late 1970s included eclectic albums like Like Flies on Sherbert (1979) and High Priest (1987), alongside production work, but he struggled with alcoholism, odd jobs in New Orleans, and periodic disinterest in music before resuming touring in 1984.
Chilton's legacy as a power pop pioneer and proto-punk innovator endures through Big Star's melancholy lyrics, sweet harmonies, and jangly guitars, inspiring indie and alternative scenes despite modest sales. He reunited with Box Tops and Big Star versions for tours and passed away on March 17, 2010, in New Orleans at age 59.
Fun Facts
- Chilton worked odd jobs like dishwashing in New Orleans during the early 1980s after battling alcoholism, turning his back on music before relaunching his career in 1984 with cover band gigs on Bourbon Street.
- He produced the Cramps' first single, blending his interests in psychobilly and punk while experimenting at Sam Phillips studios.
- Chilton and drummer Richard Rosebrough recorded experimental sessions as the 'Dolby Fuckers,' with some material appearing on Big Star's Radio City.
- 'The Letter' was the biggest hit single ever recorded in Memphis at the time of its 1967 release.
Associated Acts
- The Box Tops - lead vocals
- Big Star - lead vocals, original
- Tav Falco’s Panther Burns
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- Dan Penn - songwriter and producer who discovered and produced the Box Tops ("The Letter" and other Box Tops hits) [1967-1970]
- Chips Moman - American Sound Studios executive who brought Box Tops to attention (Box Tops recordings)
- Roger McGuinn - chance meeting influencing guitar and singing style (solo development) [early 1970s]
- Steve Cropper - guitar style inspiration from Stax Records (self-taught guitar during solo period) [1969-1971]
- Carl Wilson - Beach Boys guitarist stylistic influence (self-taught guitar) [1969-1971]
Key Collaborators
- Chris Bell - co-founder and core member of Big Star (#1 Record (1972)) [1971-1972]
- Richard Rosebrough - drummer and collaborator on solo material and Big Star (Radio City, Third, Bach's Bottom, Dolby Fuckers experiments) [1969-1970s]
- Terry Manning - producer/engineer on early solo recordings (solo demos at Ardent Studios) [1969-1970]
- The Cramps - producer for their first single (early recordings at Sam Phillips studios) [late 1970s]
- Alexis Chilton (Coman) - bassist in touring trio and Panther Burns (Feudalist Tarts EP (1985), No Sex EP (1986), High Priest (1987)) [1984-1980s]
Artists Influenced
- R.E.M. - unabashedly created music in Big Star's spirit (alternative rock albums) [1980s-1990s]
- The Replacements - drew inspiration from Big Star (indie rock output) [1980s]
- Teenage Fanclub - influenced by Big Star's power pop (power pop albums) [1990s]
- The Posies - praised Big Star as major influence (power pop recordings) [1990s]
- Elliot Smith - major influence cited (solo albums) [1990s-2000s]
- Wilco - influenced by Chilton's work (alternative rock) [1990s-2000s]
- Tom Petty - anticipated by 'September Gurls' (rock albums) [1970s onward]
- Cheap Trick - anticipated by 'September Gurls' (power pop rock) [1970s onward]
Connection Network
External Links
Tags: #pop-rock, #power-pop, #rock
References
Heard on WWOZ
Alex Chilton has been played 7 times on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.