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Madonna is losing her mind. In a very strange, over produced new video, she mumbles she’s lost three friends (unclear if to corona virus) and that she’s “over it.” She says, “I’m over it.” She is entirely disconnected from reality. Every single music star who isn’t ailing has done something positive so far. They’ve given impromptu on line concerts, made PSAs, participated in fundraisers, started fundraisers. All of her so called enemies– Lady Gaga, Elton John, and so on– are busy digging in for the cause. Madonna, however, is “over it.” I think we’re over it, too. 1, 2, cha cha cha.
The coronavirus had better be over by August 15th. That’s the new date for Sting’s Las Vegas Residency at Caesar’s Palace.
“My Songs” was supposed to start on May 22nd, but that can’t happen given the world situation. So the shows have been moved to mid August, when it’s nice and hot and humid. I’m up for that!
By August, Sting will have turned colors not performing anywhere. His musical, “The Last Ship,” got dry docked in San Francisco in March and never made it to Washington, DC, Detroit, or Minneapolis. Maybe next year.
In the meantime, you can buy the “My Songs” CD or stream it on your favorite platform.
The Broadway shutdown will continue past April 12th until June 7th. That’s the same day the Tony Awards would have been presented.
Frank Marshall, producer of the musical “Diana,” about Princess Diana, tweeted: “We shall return!”
Famed Great White Way eatery Joe Allen tweeted: “Oy.” Joe Allen– he’s a real person– also has Orso and Bar Centrale, the three most popular places to break bread when the curtain comes down. They already suffered last winter from a boiler issue that curtailed their kitchen. That’s fixed, and now this. Oy! is right.
“Beetlejuice” was supposed to close anyway on June 6th. So they are closed now, but not forever. Everyone hopes they’ll find a new theater next season and return.
Many shows that were supposed to open this spring have been moved to the fall, with a lot of finger crossing. Those include the much anticipated revival of “Company.”
Some new shows are up in the air. They include the mega production of “The Music Man” with Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster. Also, “MJ: The Michael Jackson Musical,” which already wasn’t selling well in advance of its August opening. Maybe sales will pick up because audiences will be hungry for shows.
The long closure of shows impacts every business for blocks and blocks in every direction, not to mention our friends who run PR and marketing firms. But Broadway will come back bigger and brighter than ever! Please God!
Willie Wilkerson, one of the best people I’ve ever known, passed away this morning in Detroit at the age of 72. The cause was complications from coronavirus.
Willie was known to just about everyone in the music world as Aretha Franklin’s long time love, and road manager. Since 1987 they were literally velcro’d together. They dated for many years, he was always by her side. I can tell you from personal knowledge they really loved each other. When Aretha was ailing two years ago, Willie was one of the few people right there.
A little over a year ago, Willie– who has lovely grown daughters– was lucky enough to find love again. He married Doris Ogburn and they merged their families. It was a real love story, and the pair had great plans for the future. On March 23rd, Willie called me to see if I was alright in New York, to check in on my family. He was feeling fine, he told me. And then it all went out the window.
Willie served in Vietnam, and then became a Detroit fireman for over 20 years. I don’t think there is anyone in Detroit who didn’t know him. He was so proud of living there. He took me on quite a tour in July 2018 when I went to say goodbye to Aretha. He was a great friend. He was also such an outgoing, bighearted, gregarious guy. He just loved everything. When I think of him, he’s grinning. He was always smiling, even when the band’s instruments were missing, or the charts were upside down, or Aretha didn’t have something she needed. He handled every crisis with grace and humor.
I know a lot of people in Aretha’s and Willie’s world are going to be in tears this morning, especially “the guys” who worked with him, like his friend Hilton Kincaid. They are went through a lot together.
The great Detroit photographer Linda Solomon sent me some pictures this morning that I’ve included. Willie, I am so mad, and sad. This is not the way it was supposed to be.
It seems like actor Allen Garfield, who was in movie after movie in the 70s and 80s, is one of two coronavirus deaths at the Motion Picture Home in Woodland Hills, California. He’d been living there for some time after two strokes in recent years. He was 80 years old.
Ronee Blakely wrote on Twitter: “RIP Allen Garfield, the great actor who played my husband in “Nashville”, has died today of Covid; I hang my head in tears; condolences to family and friends; I will post more later; cast and crew, sending love.”
It was a memorable turn in a long list of performances for the journeyman actor. His acting career started in 1968 with “Putney Swope,” and from there he worked constantly in a period filled with classic movies. Garfield had key roles in Robert Redford’s “The Candidate” and in “The Stuntman,” among other films.
UPDATE 11:27PM Bonnie Raitt writes on Twitter: “Words can’t even come close. I’m crushed by the loss of my dear friend, John. My heart and love go out to Fiona and all the family. For all of us whose hearts are breaking, we will keep singing his songs and holding him near.
Bruce Springsteen: Over here on E Street, we are crushed by the loss of John Prine. John and I were “New Dylans” together in the early 70s and he was never anything but the loveliest guy in the world. A true national treasure and a songwriter for the ages. We send our love and prayers to his family.
EARLIER:
I’m so sad to report that John Prine has succumbed to coronavirus at age 73. He had such a magnificent renaisssance in the last couple of years, this is a cruel way to go out.
Condolences to his wife Fiona, his family, and friends.
For years John laid low and had a cult following, and was not much in the public eye. But his return over the last two years with a great new album, “Tree of Forgiveness,” won him new fans, reactivated old fans, and brought him awards and accolades.
John’s hundreds of songs included two that will stand out forever: “Angel from Montgomery” and “Hello in There.” He won two Grammy Awards and was nominated for 9 more.
Wikipedia notes that during 2005 at the request of U.S. Poet Laureate Ted Kooser, John Prine became the first singer/songwriter to read and perform at the Library of Congress.
Most people became aware of John when Bette Midler included “Hello in There” on her debut album that year, “The Divine Miss M.” Here she is:
So many people have recorded “Angel from Montgomery” besides John, but I always think of Bonnie Raitt as the main cover artist. Carly Simon included a great one on her box set. Here’s Bonnie:
Famed “Saturday Night Live” music director and beloved music producer Hal Willner has died from coronavirus at age 64, a day after his birthday. I’ll tell you, there’s barely anyone more popular or well known in the behind the scenes of the musicworld than Hal Willner. People are sobbing on the phone.
Hal was particularly close to Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson, as well as Jenni Muldaur and everyone in the New York music scene. He’d been particularly upset about Marianne Faithfull in the last few days.
Steve Leeds of Sirius radio just tweeted: “HallWilner defined creativity R.I.P.” You can read a profile of Hal here.
Hal had been the man behind the music skits at “SNL” beginning in 1980, and went on to work with Lorne Michaels in many capacities. He was revered in the New York music world. He produced albums for Marianne Faithfull, Laurie Anderson, Lou Reed (including his final major studio release, “Ecstasy”), Macy Gray, and Lucinda Williams. He produced Elvis Costello’s “Juliet Letters” with the Brodsky Quartet.
Hal also produced a lot of recordings of the Beat poets, bringing them back to life. He worked with William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg, which is amazing.
Willner posted to Twitter on March 28th that he was in bed, and sick. The Tweet is below. He died at home at 5am this morning.
Just a day earlier he’d posted about John Prine: “Sending love to John Prine who is in critical condition with COVID-19.. John is a music giant. His songs are as good as it gets and he’s a spellbinding performer. Send good thoughts his way. “I sound like that old guy down the street that doesn’t chase you out of his apple tree.”
I always wanted to have a number one – but not this . Pure Arch Oboler with Serling added . In bed on upper west side . H pic.twitter.com/zEqZmqmlWk
One of my favorite Hall Willner projects was “Stay Awake,” for which he recorded a bunch of stars doing Disney songs. Here’s the link.
Among Hal’s other credits is Marianne Faithfull’s seminal album, Broken English.
Condolences to Hal’s wife, Sheila Rogers, the long time music booker for David Letterman, and then James Corden, and their son. Hal also leaves his father, a Holocaust survivor.
Sean Lennon wrote: “Hal Willner R.I.P. All I can say is thanks for everything. Will miss you friend.”
Jenni Muldaur writes on Instagram:
Hal is everything to me. This covid19 virus just claimed the life of a true one of a kind. I met him when I was 19 in San Francisco at the wake of Jane Dornacker. Together we lost a dozen friends. So many that I arrogantly thought Hal and I would be the last ones standing. I am utterly in disbelief. This is a picture of him in Estonia when we were on the Lou tour. We’ve been everywhere together. One week ago he was on my Zoom birthday. One of my best friends in this whole wide world. Inconsolable. He was worried about Marianne and now this. The saddest day. Not Hal. Fuck.
Bebe Buell wrote:
There are no words… Hal Wilner @willnerh was one of the most noble and kind people I’ve ever known in my life. Wildly talented, he possessed ears of gold to match his heart of gold. My deepest condolences goes out to all those who loved him- all of us who knew him adored him. He was so worried about @mariannefaithfullofficial and now this evil virus has taken him. I’m thinking about my sweet friend @jennimuldaur right now- I’m sending you hugs and love, angel.
Bye for now you beautiful human. 💔🙏#halwilner #bebebuell
Universal Music chief Lucian Grainge is on the mend, thank goodness. After a harrowing go with COVID-19, he sent a memo today to the Universal employees catching everyone up. It sounds like it’s all good news, Lucian is number 1 with a bullet. But he warns everyone that this was not a walk in the park. Whew!
Here’s the memo:
Dear Colleagues:
I do hope each and every one of you and your loved ones is safe and doing as well as can be in these difficult times.
I apologize for not having written earlier, but I know only too well how difficult these times can be, for you see, I contracted COVID-19 and was one of the 20% whose symptoms were severe.
Today, I am at home and recuperating. Thanks to those on the front line of this crisis—the doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers whose dedication and skill brought me back to health—I am on my way to a full recovery. I will never be able to thank them enough. And the first responders and all the other essential workers putting their lives on the line out there for all of us—they are heroes, justly entitled to our deepest respect and gratitude.
Take it from someone who’s been there: this thing is not just some bad flu. It’s as serious as it gets. As serious for the young and strong as it is for the old and infirm. Wherever you are in the world, take this pandemic as seriously as it deserves to be taken. Listen to and obey the guidance of your public health authorities. You will be doing it not merely for yourself, but for your families and—as we all know by now—for literally everyone in the world.
Let me close by thanking you as well. Without exaggeration, you are the greatest team the music world has ever brought together. Your amazing work—from home nonetheless!—during these past weeks only goes to prove it. I’m so proud of how your support for our artists and songwriters has not faltered, remaining as creative and devoted as it’s ever been, even as you’ve found the energy and time to lend helping hands to our COVID-19 response effort. You are remarkable.
Please take good care. If you need some special help the company might be able to provide, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your Human Resources representative.
Remember: One day this will all be behind us. And I hope that day comes soon, because, honestly, I can’t wait until we’re all back in the office together. In the meantime, I’ll see you on Zoom.
If you want to jump ahead to the 7th and final season of “Grace and Frankie,” it’s happening on Thursday.
Stars Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Martin Sheen, Sam Waterston, et al will perform a live table reading of a Season 7 script on You Tube. This unique experience will begin at 8pm, Eastern.
This is a rare opportunity to see some of our greatest actors ever in a much different setting. Table reads are fun, they stop and start, everyone chimes in. It’s much different than the finished product. And this one will give us some insight into Netflix’s longest running series. We can’t miss this.
Jane Fonda is tireless. She’s doing exercise videos online for the homebound. Very soon she’ll appear as Jimmy Kimmel’s guest on “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” playing for charity. And on Friday she has her weekly Fire Drill Fridays online (see below).
Willie Wilkerson, one of the best people I’ve ever known, passed away this morning in Detroit at the age of 72. The cause was complications from coronavirus.
Willie served in Vietnam, and then became a Detroit fireman for over 20 years. I don’t think there is anyone in Detroit who didn’t know him. He was so proud of living there. He took me on quite a tour in July 2018 when I went to say goodbye to Aretha. He was a great friend. He was also such an outgoing, bighearted, gregarious guy. He just loved everything. When I think of him, he’s grinning. He was always smiling, even when the band’s instruments were missing, or the charts were upside down, or Aretha didn’t have something she needed. He handled every crisis with grace and humor.
