Musician Jenny Wood died over the weekend, according to an announcement from family members on social media. She was 43.
The post said Wood’s death was related to a traumatic brain injury the singer-songwriter sustained in a 2019 car crash that killed her niece and mother.
Wood established herself in bands around Wichita in her 20s, including the group Pathos. Wood moved to Nashville, then returned to her hometown, where she established herself as a formidable voice within the city’s music scene. She gigged constantly, whether as a solo artist or in groups such as The Watchers.
Along the way, she advocated for young people in the community — most notably with an anti-bullying campaign that was accompanied by the song and video, “Don’t Let Them Get In Your Head.” She released an album of the same name in 2016 and followed that in 2018 with the EP “Truth Has Legs.”
Wood also recorded with the group Team Tremolo (featuring members who had performed in Spirit of the Stairs, The Travel Guide, Japanese Game Show and her solo band), resulting in the 2017 EP “Intruder” and the 2023 LP “Conjured Light.”
In May 2019, Wood was in a car crash that happened during a high-speed police chase through downtown Wichita. While being pursued by police, the driver of an SUV collided with Wood’s vehicle. Wood’s mother, Maria Wood, and niece Rosemary “Rosie” McElroy were killed.
Wood sustained near-fatal injuries, including a traumatic brain injury. Though she was able to recover, she faced life-threatening seizures for the rest of her life.
Wichita’s local music scene rallied behind her after the accident.
Despite the complications, she performed a 2021 concert at Wichita’s Orpheum Theatre titled “Phoenix: Strength of a Songbird.”
Wood eventually sued the city of Wichita over the accident and later relocated once more to Nashville, where she worked at the East Nashville Food Bank Co-Op.
She continued to perform music and returned to Wichita on multiple occasions for further performances, including a May 2024 gig at an event dubbed Jenny Woodstock.
She spoke with KMUW at that time, discussing her health, her continued mission to help others, and her awareness that she’d overcome great odds for her daily survival. “I am the bug that won’t die,” she joked.
Wood will be remembered for her uncompromising live performances, fearless songwriting, and deep connections she made within the Wichita music scene.
At the time of this writing the family had not yet solidified plans for a memorial service.
KMUW’s “Strange Currency” will air a musical tribute to Wood on Monday night from 8-10 p.m.
