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Van Conner, bassist and co-founder of Screaming Trees, dies at 55

Van Conner, the bassist and song writer of Screaming Trees, died Tuesday night, according to a social media post from his brother. He was 55.

Gary Lee Conner, Van’s brother and the former guitarist of the band, said he died of pneumonia after an extended illness.

Let me put this letter on Van’s grave. 🌲🌑🌲🌑🌲🌑🌲🌑🌲🌑🌲🌑🌲🌑🌲 Van Conner bassist and song writer of Screaming Trees died last...

Posted by Gary Lee Conner on Wednesday, January 18, 2023

Screaming Trees was formed in Ellensburg in 1985 and is known as one of the pioneers of the Seattle grunge movement in the 90s, along with The Melvins, Mudhoney, Soundgarden, and more.

The band grew in prominence along with Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam and Nirvana, releasing seven albums, five EPs and three compilation albums.

Their single, “Nearly Lost You,” was featured in the movie “Singles” and peaked at #5 on the Billboard Modern Rock chart.

Kurt Cobain personally chose Screaming Trees to appear on the final day of the Reading Festival in the United Kingdom in 1992, which Nirvana headlined.

Mark Lanegan, the former lead singer for Screaming Trees and Queens of the Stone Age, died in February last year. He was 57.