LEGENDARY

Hal Willner, Music Producer and Longtime ‘SNL’ Staffer, Dies at 64 Due to COVID-19 Complications

Willner, who worked with the likes of Marianne Faithfull and Bette Midler, had alluded to having coronavirus on Twitter.

Hal Willner, a prolific music producer and longtime Saturday Night Live staffer, has died at 64 due to complications from the novel coronavirus. A rep for Willner did not publicly reveal a cause of death but several outlets reported that his death was related to the virus. Willner produced records for Marianne Faithfull, Lou Reed, Lucinda Williams, Roberta Flack, and Bette Midler. He was behind the music skits for SNL since 1981 and produced the scores for movies such as Finding Forester and Gangs of New York. Willner was also known for his work on the tribute album, Stay Awake: Various Interpretations of Music from Vintage Disney Films, which featured artists such as Ringo Starr, Michael Stipe, Ken Nordine, and Tom Waits. Just over a week ago, Willner indicated on Twitter that he might have contracted the virus, saying that he is “in bed on upper west side.” Seth Meyers, an SNL veteran, paid tribute to Willner on social media, saying: “As unique a person I ever had the fortune to cross paths with.”