Tom Waits Writes Tribute to Late Friend Hal Willner

Tom Waits and his wife Kathleen Brennan have written a tribute to Waits’ late friend Hal Willner, posted to his website earlier today (April 15). According to Waits, they met when Willner approached him at a show in 1974, from which they built a lifelong friendship around music. Read Waits’ post in full below.

In his note, Waits praises Willner—“Impresario Hal”—for his broad palate of unusual interests, calling him “a furtive and clandestine and crafty treasure seeker and archeologist of forgotten islands in popular culture.”

Willner died earlier this month at 64. In addition to his work producing musical skits on Saturday Night Live, he worked as a producer on on records by Lou Reed, Laurie Anderson, Marianne Faithfull, and others. In the outpouring of tributes in the wake of Willner’s death, SNL cast members covered Lou Reed’s “Perfect Day” on the show’s remotely produced April 11 episode.