Jay Bennett

Late in 2001, multi-instrumentalist Jay Bennett ended his long association with Wilco after serving as one of its central figures. Prior to that split, he had already started composing material alongside Edward Burch, and their joint efforts yielded the spring 2002 album The Palace at 4 A.M., issued on Undertow Records. The two musicians had in fact maintained a working relationship of roughly seven years by then, having first crossed paths in Illinois while Bennett was active in Steve Pride & His Blood Kin and Titanic Love Affair. His initial recording session with Wilco took place in 1996 and produced the album Being There.

Bennett’s reputation also extends to production and session work, areas in which he has remained in steady demand. Over the years his instrumental and production contributions have appeared on projects by Garrison Starr, Adam Schmitt, Billy Joe Shaver, Allison Moorer, Jellyfish, Sherry Rich, Tim Easton, Tommy Keene, Jeff Black, and Sheryl Crow. He further demonstrated those skills with the 2004 releases Bigger Than Blue and The Beloved Enemy, then returned in 2006 with Magnificent Defeat.