A person is often defined by how they cope with difficult times, whether they rise to the challenge or wither in the face of life’s many trials. Those were the concerns of Oregon musician Richard Swift as he worked on what would be his final album, The Hex.
The multi-instrumentalist, producer, and songwriter had just absorbed the blows of losing his mother and sister in short succession and was wrestling with the guilt of having spent so much time in the studio and on the road (he was a member of the Shins for five years, and a touring member of the Black Keys), which forced him to be away from his wife and three kids. And during the last years of his life, Swift dealt with both his alcoholism and the effects drinking had on his health. When he passed away in July, it was due to hepatitis and liver and kidney distress.