Fountains of Wayne reunited for their first live performance in seven years to pay tribute to songwriter, bassist, and vocalist Adam Schlesinger who passed away on April 1 from Covid-19. Chris Collingwood, Jody Porter and Brian Young were joined by singer-songwriter, Sharon Van Etten, who filled in on bass and backing vocals for the song “Hackensack.” The band performed the track for the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund’s, Jersey 4 Jersey benefit (which was launched on March 24, 2020) to marshal resources to meet critical needs and fight the economic and social impact of COVID-19 within New Jersey.
Fountains of Wayne released the recording from that performance on Bandcamp, where net proceeds from the release will be donated to The New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund. It will be made available for download for one month only. The track, “Hackensack” is from Fountains of Wayne’s third studio album, Welcome Interstate Managers, which also featured their most well-known single, “Stacy’s Mom.”
In previewing the participants performing at the Jersey 4 Jersey event, Governor Phil Murphy made a point of calling out Fountains’s inclusion, saying “I’m touched to mention that the surviving members of Fountains of Wayne, will be performing with Sharon Van Etten…in a special tribute to band co-founder and Montclarion Adam Schlesinger, who we lost to CO-VID 19.”
The New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund’s (NJPRF) Jersey 4 Jersey benefit, the one-night broadcast fundraiser to fight the medical, social and economic impact of COVID-19 on New Jersey’s most vulnerable communities, featured New Jersey’s biggest champions and celebrities participating from their homes, including Saquon Barkley, Tony Bennett, Jon Bon Jovi, Danny DeVito, Whoopi Goldberg, Halsey, Chelsea Handler, Charlie Puth, Kelly Ripa, Chris Rock, Bruce Springsteen, Jon Stewart, SZA and more.
NJPRF will provide grants to existing organizations with a demonstrated track record of caring for vulnerable communities. In addition, one hundred percent of every dollar received online will go to organizations that provide essential services to those in need and to assist those on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.
NJPRF is proud to be hosted by the Community Foundation of New Jersey, which has been serving the needs of New Jersey non-profits and philanthropists for more than 40 years. For additional information please visit: https://njprf.org. All donation money will be used to fight the medical, social, and economic impact of COVID-19 on New Jersey’s most vulnerable, supporting organizations that provide essential services and aiding those on the front line of the pandemic.