Jim Ellison

{{more citations needed|date=June 2009}}{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Jim Ellison

| birth_name = James Walter Ellison

| birth_date = April 18, 1964

| death_date = June 20, 1996 (age {{age|1964|4|18|1996|6|20}})

}}

James Walter Ellison (April 18, 1964 – June 20, 1996) was the frontman for the band Material Issue. He tirelessly promoted his band, booked tours, and secured a major-label deal in 1990. Ellison{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p73910|pure_url=yes}}|title=Jim Ellison|last=Prato|first=Greg|publisher=AllMusic|accessdate=15 June 2009}} — along with bassist Ted Ansani and drummer Mike Zelenko — would lead the renaissance of power pop in the early 1990s.{{cite web|url=https://trouserpress.com/reviews/material-issue/|title=Material Issue}}

Personal life and legacy

Ellison grew up in Illinois and attended Glenbard North High School.

He died on June 20, 1996 from suicide.{{cite web |date=21 June 1996 |title=MATERIAL ISSUE FRONT MAN IS FOUND DEAD IN GARAGE |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1996-06-21-9606210068-story.html |access-date=16 March 2022 |website=Chicago Tribune |language=en}} Lead singer Gord Downie wrote the song "Escape Is at Hand for the Travelin' Man" about his relationship with Ellison and Downie's grief after Ellison's death. The song was recorded by The Tragically Hip.{{Cite book |last=Shapiro |first=Marc |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/What_is_Hip/cf60DgAAQBAJ |title=What is Hip?: The Life and Times of The Tragically Hip |date=2017-04-20 |publisher=Riverdale Avenue Books LLC |isbn=978-1-62601-365-0 |language=en |quote=a taut and melancholy slice of obscure pop history as it chronicled the life of a Midwest pop/punk band named Material Issue... }}