Coroner: Wilco's Jay Bennett Died of Overdose

Band's former guitarist-keyboardist succumbed to accidental OD of prescription painkiller

The results are in, and sadly, it all sounds too familiar.

Jay Bennett, the former keyboardist-guitarist of Chicago alt-rockers Wilco, died last month of an accidental overdose from a prescription painkiller, a medical examiner has ruled.

Champaign County Coroner Duane Northrup determined that the 45-year-old multi-instrumentalist died May 24 at his residence in Ubana, Ill., after ingesting a toxic amount of fentanyl, medication typically given to treat chronic pain.

Before his death, Bennett posted a message on his MySpace blog informing fans that he was about to undergo hip-replacement surgery, blaming years of "stage jumps and various other rock and roll theatrics."

His mounting medical bills led him to sue Wilco leader Jeff Tweedy for unpaid royalties from Bennett's tenure with the band.