Remembering Chris Whitley

Chris Whitley died Sunday night.

Coofer quotes Whitley's brother with regard to cranking up some of the Houston singer/songwriter's music, and I've got his last album, Soft Dangerous Shores, cued up on Rhapsody. Late on, I'll definitely add Din of Ecstasy and Rocket House to the mix.

I found Whitley back in 1995 when CMJ New Music Monthly included "Narcotic Prayer" and "O God My Heart Is Ready" from Din of Ecstasy on two consecutive compilation disks, and then caught the tail end of a set at South by Southwest the following year. I probably saw him a half dozen times over the last decade, sometimes solo (including one of the shows that was the basis for his Live at Martyrs' disk) and sometimes with a full band that varied from straight-up rock to vaguely electronic.

He brought a tremendous amount of emotion to his songs, and was one of those artists that just immediately grabs you by the throat with his intensity, and didn't let go. I'm just glad I had the chance to find and experience his music.