Widely adored and respected songwriter from Ohio, Jason Molina, died on Saturday from organ failure brought on by alcohol consumption. Molina had been struggling heavily in the past with alcohol addiction, to the point of his family and friends making pleas on the internet and elsewhere to help him with medical costs for rehab. Some of the most painful words regarding Jason's life, struggles, and enviable body of work come from Henry Owings of Chunklet, who knew Jason intimately and was one of the forerunners behind the effort to get Molina help.
According to Owings, Jason Molina died Saturday night in Indianapolis with “nothing but a cell phone in his pocket with only his grandmother's number on it.” He will be missed terribly. If you're new to the Molina oeuvre, the song “Farewell Transmission” takes on new meaning, but is a worthy place to start in light of this tragedy.
If you know a musician who is struggling with substance abuse, Musicares.org has resources avaiable to help.
