Pictured in Memphis, 1972 are Big Star founders (L-R) Chris Bell, Jody Stephens, Andy Hummel, and Alex Chilton.
eBay Auction Ends Sunday, October 3, Honoring “Big Star” Founder
Ardent Studios in Memphis is calling on the community and Big Star fans worldwide to support a benefit auction for the family of founding member Alex Chilton, who died three days before the band’s reunion concert on March 20.
Chilton had been scheduled to play a concert with Big Star at the South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas. The show instead took place as a tribute to Chilton, with guests Curt Kirkwood, Chris Stamey, M. Ward, Mike Mills, John Doe, Sondre Lerche, Chuck Prophet, Evan Dando and original member Andy Hummel joining the other members of Big Star.
Shortly afterwards
on a beautiful night in Memphis, many friends, family, and fans gathered for the season opening of Memphis’ historic Overton Park Shell, now called Levitt Shell. This special kickoff concert was the highly anticipated homecoming performance of Memphis’ beloved sons, Big Star. Chilton was a prolific songwriter and musician, and his years with Big Star produced 4 studio albums recorded at Ardent Studios, 3 of which have been listed in Rolling Stone’s Greatest 500 Albums of All Time.
The current Big Star lineup that night consisted of original member, Jody Stephens, with Ken Stringfellow, and Jon Auer. They were joined throughout the night by special guests Mike Mills of R.E.M., Brendan Benson of Raconteurs, Sondre Lerche, Amy Speace, Susan Marshall, Jimmy Stephens (Jody’s brother), and John Davis of Superdrag. Backstage, St. Blues Guitars of Memphis had all the performers sign a Bluesmaster guitar to auction later to raise money for Alex Chilton’s wife, Laura.
Supporters of Alex Chilton’s music, his family, Big Star, and the power of Memphis music are now bidding on this one of a kind St. Blues guitar from that very special night. When the eBay auction ends on October 3, 2010 at 11:05 AM PDT, all the money for the guitar will be donated to the surviving family of Alex.
To learn more about the event, visit: http://www.saintblues.com/newsletter/Big%20Star/Bigstar-newsletter.html
To bid on this priceless guitar, go to: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230529801695
