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RIP: Music Producer Hal Willner Dead at 64, Likely from COVID-19 Complications

April 7th, 2020 - 1:44 PM

RIP: Music Producer Hal Willner Dead at 64, Likely from COVID-19 Complications

Hal Willner, famed record producer known for putting together tribute albums and concerts, and long-time sketch music producer for “Saturday Night Live,” has died of complications related to the coronavirus, confirmed by Variety. Willner produced albums for many artists, including Marianne Faithfull (who recently was also giagnosed with coronavirus), Laurie Anderson, Lou Reed, and Lucinda Williams. He was 64 years old at the time of his death.

Willner had posted on his Twitter account a post that alluded to him having the virus; the producer posted a map of the coronavirus hotspots across the country, with New York City being the clear epicenter, writing, “I always wanted to have a number one, but not this,” and describing himself as “in bed on upper west side.”

The news was first broken by Willner’s close friend, Penny Arcade, who posted a message on social media announcing the producer’s death. The message he posted was simple, as it read, “Oh no! Not Hal……. Ladies and gentleman, Hal Willner has left the auditorium”

Willner is now the latest prominent figure in the music world to succumb to the coronavirus, which includes Afro jazz saxophone pioneer Manu Dibango, jazz pianist Marsalis family patriarch Ellis Marsalis, Jazz trumpet legend and Grammy winner Wallace Rooney, and Fountains of Wayne co-founder Adam Schlesinger, as well as others.

Celebrities took to scoail media to express their sadness for Willner’s passing. Check out some tributes to Hal Willner below:

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