James Walter Ellison (April 18, 1964 – June 20, 1996) was the frontman for the band

Material Issue Material Issue was an American power pop trio from Chicago, Illinois. The band's trademark is pop songs with themes of love and heartbreak. A number of their song titles used girls' first names. History Material Issue was formed in 1985, led b ...

. He tirelessly promoted his band, booked tours, and secured a major-label deal in 1990. Ellison — along with bassist Ted Ansani and drummer Mike Zelenko — would lead the renaissance of

power pop Power pop (also typeset as powerpop) is a form of pop rock based on the early music of bands such as the Who, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds. It typically incorporates melodic hooks, vocal harmonies, an energetic performance, and ch ...

in the early 1990s. He committed

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...

on June 20, 1996, by

carbon monoxide poisoning Carbon monoxide poisoning typically occurs from breathing in carbon monoxide (CO) at excessive levels. Symptoms are often described as "flu-like" and commonly include headache, dizziness, weakness, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. Large e ...

. The song "Escape Is at Hand for the Travelin' Man" by

The Tragically Hip The Tragically Hip, often referred to simply as the Hip, were a Canadian rock band formed in Kingston, Ontario in 1984, consisting of vocalist Gord Downie, guitarist Paul Langlois, guitarist Rob Baker (known as Bobby Baker until 1994), bassi ...

was written about lead singer

Gord Downie Gordon Edgar Downie (February 6, 1964 – October 17, 2017) was a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, musician, writer and activist. He was the singer and lyricist for the Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip, which he fronted from its forma ...

's relationship with Ellison and his grief over the suicide. Ellison grew up in

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

and attended

Glenbard North High School Glenbard North High School, or GBN, and locally referred to as "Glenbard" or "North", is a public closed campus four-year high school located at the corner of Kuhn Road and Lies Road in Carol Stream, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago, Illinois, ...

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External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ellison, Jim 1964 births 1996 suicides American male guitarists American male pop singers American male singer-songwriters American rock guitarists American pop rock singers American rock songwriters People from Addison, Illinois Suicides by carbon monoxide poisoning 20th-century American singers 20th-century American guitarists Singer-songwriters from Illinois 1996 deaths 20th-century American male singers Suicides in Illinois

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