R.I.P. Jason Molina

• Steve Gullick

Jason Molina, the songwriting force behind Songs: Ohia and Magnolia Electric Co., passed away this weekend.

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The prolific musician, who had struggled with alcohol abuse for years, stepped away from his career in 2009 to address his longstanding addiction. After canceling a tour with fellow collaborator Will Johnson that fall, he bounced in and out of rehab facilities and hospitals. Since then, he had spent time working on a farm in West Virginia, raising goats and chickens as he attempted to get better.

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Besides a Secretly Canadian post and a candid plea from Chunklet's Henry Owings in 2011, there had been few updates on the songwriter and his subsequent progress. Last fall, Graveface Records released Autumn Bird Songs, a stunning and stripped-down eight-song collection.

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In December, I sent Molina an email asking him if he wanted to talk about how he stepped out of the limelight to address his struggles with addictions as well as his time in recovery. On Jan. 7, Molina replied:

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Max, happy new year. Yeah, too early and too much for me even now. limelite! me? ha ha ha. Keep pestering me and I'll come around

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I was surprised he replied to me. I sent him a line back and simply asked him: "how are you doing?" Later that day, he said:

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Doing o.k. mentally not ready to do much other than watch John Wayne movies. Writing is slow but improved. All the best, JMo