Vic Chesnutt

Vic Chesnutt

Singer-songwriter Vic Chesnutt’s label has confirmed today that Vic is in coma. Chesnutt, 45, has been in a wheelchair since a car accident in 1983. The paraplegic artist’s first big breakthrough came with the release of the tribute album Sweet Relief II: Gravity of the Situation. Vic was spotted by Michael Stipe of R.E.M.; Stipe produced Chesnutt’s first two albums, Little in 1990 and West of Rome in 1991.

Constellation Records’ Don Wilkie said in a statement,

“Vic is in the middle of a serious medical situation, he is in a coma, and his family and friends are with him. We have no comment right now on the specifics other than that his doctors are continuing to assess his condition. We will issue a full statement at an appropriate time. In the interim, we request that everybody respect Vic’s privacy and that of his family.”

In 1996, he drew national attention with the release of the tribute album Sweet Relief II: Gravity of the Situation, his songs were covered by an impressive list of musicians including Madonna, R.E.M., Smashing Pumpkins and Indigo Girls. His friend and collaborator Kristen Hersh has said on Twitter that Vic’s coma is the outcome of a suicide attempt. Kristen wrote,

“Yeah, I can tell you what I know but no one knows much: another suicide attempt looks bad, coma — if he survives, there may be brain damage. This time, it’s real scary: *this* time, he left a note, *this* time, he asked them to call me.”

Vic’s discography: Little, West of Rome, Drunk, Is the Actor Happy?, The Salesman and Bernadette, Merriment, Left to his Own Devices, Silver Lake, Ghetto Bells, Extra Credit EP, North Star Deserter, Dark Developments, At the Cut and Skitter on Take-Off. He was born on November 12, 1964.