Fountains Of Wayne’s Adam Schlesinger dead at 52

Fountains Of Wayne co-founder Adam Schlesinger has died after contracting coronavirus.

The news was confirmed to The Associated Press by his lawyer Josh Grier, who said the musician passed away in hospital in upstate New York. He was 52.

It was reported earlier this week that he was heavily sedated and on a ventilator, with his family issuing a statement via Schlesinger’s old bandmate Chris Collingwood to confirm he was suffering from COVID-19. 

Along with his work with Fountains Of Wayne on their five studio albums and their 2003 hit single Stacy’s Mom, Schlesinger was also involved with the bands Ivy and Tinted Windows.

He composed tracks for films, including the title song for the 1996 Tom Hanks comedy That Thing You Do!. He also served as the executive music producer on comedy drama Crazy Ex-Girlfriend which ran for four seasons, coming to an end in 2019.

Hanks paid tribute to Schlesinger, saying: “There would be no Playtone without Adam Schlesinger, without his That Thing You Do!. He was a One-der. Lost him to Covid-19. Terribly sad today.”

Dashboard Confessional frontman Chris Carrabba added: “I am grasping for the right words. My dear friend Adam Schlesinger has passed away from COVID-19. You know him best through his music. From his band Fountains Of Wayne to the countless movies and tv shows he scored, most recently Crazy Ex- Girlfriend and most famously That Thing You Do!. 

“I knew him best as a mentor and a friend. We must take this seriously. People are sick and dying. It is hard to stay locked indoors but lives will be saved. Take care of each other. Rest In Peace, my dear friend.”

Schlesinger won three Emmy awards during his career and a Grammy and was also shortlisted for a Golden Globe, a Tony and an Oscar for That Thing You Do!.