URBANA, Ill., May 25 (UPI) -- Rock musician Jay Bennett, best known for his time with Wilco, died in his sleep Sunday at his home in Urbana, Ill., a friend said. He was 45.
"Early this morning, Jay died in his sleep and an autopsy is being performed," said Edward Burch, a friend and fellow musician.
Bennett, who was running a recording studio in Urbana and working on his fifth solo album, wrote on his Internet bloc recently that he was going to have surgery to relieve serious pain he was suffering from a hip injury incurred while performing with one of his bands, Titanic Love Affair, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
"This whole experience (with the hip pain) has really taught me to look both inward and outward for support, and I've learned things about myself that I thought I had completely figured out years ago," Bennett wrote. "Family and friends have helped me to keep faith in a future that will actually be much more carefree than my constricted present state. All in all, I'm 'in a really good place' right now; I'm just waiting until I can make it all happen."
Bennett had a fallout with Wilco bandleader Jeff Tweedy and this month he sued Tweedy for breach of contract and unpaid artist's royalties, the Sun-Times said.
Wilco is on tour in Spain. Burch said he talked to bassist John Stirratt. The Band, Burch said, was "broken up" about the news.
