| Hal Willner is the producer of several eclectic tribute albums and shows including Stay Awake and the 2001 two-night Harry Smith extravaganza at UCLA's Royce Hall.
Willner began in radio in the late 1960s and early 1970s in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After moving to New York, New York, to attend NYU, Willner became an assistant to record producer Joel Dorn.
As rock gave way to disco in the late 1970s, Willner decided to produce his own albums. In 1981, Willner's Amarcord Nino Rota was released. The salute to Federico Fellini's film composer featured a large number of performers including Jaki Byard and Charles Mingus.
Around the same time, Willner was hired as the "sketch music coordinator" for the NBC TV series "Saturday Night Live."
Willner has scored films and released an album of his own music. He's also produced albums for a number of artists including Marianne Faithfull, Lou Reed, and Bill Frisell. Visitor Comments: | 
