Some very sad news from over the weekend:

Jim DeRogatis/Chicago Sun-Times:

Jay Bennett, a rock musician with deep ties to Chicago best known as a former member of Wilco, died early Sunday morning in downstate Urbana, where he had been running a recording studio, according to a spokesman for his family.

The singer and multi-instrumentalist was 45 years old.

"Early this morning, Jay died in his sleep and an autopsy is being performed," said Edward Burch, a friend and musician who collaborated with Bennett on the 2005 2002 album "The Palace at 4 a.m." "The family is in mourning and is unavailable for comment at this time."

When great tunesmiths are backed by gifted instrumentalists and arrangers, it means the difference between moderate success and legendary status. Jeff Tweedy from Wilco is undoubtedly one of the most gifted songwriters putting pen to paper today, but Bennett's contributions, like Mike Campbell's to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers or Chris Walla's to Death Cab for Cutie, were the wings that made Tweedy's best songs truly soar. The band suffered a huge loss with Bennett's acrimonious exit in 2001; the world just suffered a larger one.

Bennett's keyboard work on this performance of 'Misunderstood' is absolutely explosive, especially around the 3:40-4:20 mark.

Fans are paying tribute in the comments on Jay's MySpace page. Rest in peace, Brother.