Fountains of Wayne Honor Adam Schlesinger With ‘Hackensack’ Performance

For the first time in seven years, Fountains of Wayne reunited, to perform in honor of Adam Schlesinger, the band’s bassist and songwriter who died due to COVID-19 on April 1. Sharon Van Etten filled in on bass and harmonies as the group performed “Hackensack,” its anthem to the New Jersey town, for April 22’s “Jersey 4 Jersey” coronavirus benefit. “This is for Adam, his parents, his children, and New Jersey,” said Chris Collingwood, the band’s lead singer. Schlesinger wrote “Hackensack” with Collingwood as part of the band’s third album, Welcome Interstate Managers, in 2003. He’d later have a career as the executive music producer of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, after also composing for movies, including That Thing You Do! The benefit concert, where Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, SZA, and other New Jersey residents also performed, raised money for the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund.