Yesterday it was confirmed that musician Adam Schlesinger, founding member of bands Ivy, Tinted Windows, and Fountains of Wayne (notable for their 2003 Grammy-nominated single “Stacy’s Mom”), had been hospitalized due to the COVID-19 coronavirus. Variety now reports that the 52-year-old musician has passed away from the virus. Schlesinger reportedly passed away this morning, having previously been placed on a ventilator due to complications from the coronavirus which left him in a sedated state. He’s survived by his two daughters Sadie and Claire.
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Perhaps best known for the early 2000s ear worm, Schlesinger’s career expanded beyond being in various bands as he also contributed music to feature films like Shallow Hal (which he also scored), plus There’s Something About Mary, Josie and the Pussycats, and the titular song from That Thing You Do!, which earned him an Oscar nomination.
Schlesinger’s television work was extensive as well including tunes written for Sesame Street, Saturday Night Live, and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, which earned him a Primetime Emmy last year for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for the song “Anti-Depressants Are So Not a Big Deal.”
The prolific musician also worked on the stage, previously adapting the John Waters movie Cry-Baby into a musical and nabbing two Tony nominations for his work including Best Musical and Best Original Score.
Despite his success with Fountains of Wayne and their hit song “Stacy’s Mom,” Schlesinger’s only Grammy win was in 2010 for work on Stephen Colbert’s “A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!” The 2003 pop-rock song was nominated for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal however but failed to nab the prize. All his awards nominations put together, Schlesinger was an EGOT hopeful having been nominated for all four of the prestigious awards though only winning an Emmy.
(Cover photo by Walter McBride/Getty Images)
