Tributes Pour In After Fountains of Wayne Singer Dies of CCP Virus

Actors Adam Schlesinger (L), Rachel Bloom (C) and Aline Brosh McKenna (R) attend Crazy Ex Girlfriend: A Musical Revue at the Vulture Festival at Milk Studios in New York City on May 21, 2016. (Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Vulture Festival)

Emmy- and Grammy-award winning singer Adam Schlesinger, who sang for Fountains of Wayne, has died of COVID-19, according to a statement, leading to tributes on social media.

“As many of you are aware, Adam had been hospitalized with COVID-19 and although he had been making some small improvements over the last few days, Adam’s condition was critical and he was ultimately unable to recover from COVID-19 complications,” read a statement from the band’s attorney. “He was truly a prolific talent and even more so, a loving and devoted father, son and friend.”

Tom Hanks on Wednesday shared his heartbreak over the death of Schlesinger, who died at age 52.

The Oscar-winning actor, who is himself recovering from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) virus along with wife Rita Wilson, noted that his film “That Thing You Do,” wouldn’t have happened if Schlesinger had not written the title song for the movie.

“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. Hanx,” the actor wrote in a Twitter post.

Schlesinger was nominated for 10 Emmys for writing comical songs across several television shows, winning three. He was nominated for an Academy Award for writing the title song to the 1997 Tom Hanks-directed movie “That Thing You Do.” He won the 2009 Grammy for best comedy album for writing the songs on “A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!” a companion to a TV Christmas special with songs performed by Stephen Colbert and Elvis Costello.

A number of other celebrities led an outpouring of support following his death.

“I am very sorry to hear the terrible news about Adam Schlesinger. I had the pleasure of working with Adam when he wrote the theme to Crank Yankers. He was a kind and super-talented man who will be missed. Sending love to his family, friends and fans,” host Jimmy Kimmel wrote.

Added “Nanny” star Fran Drescher on Twitter, “We will miss you... Adam Schlesinger died of Covid 19 at age 52 today. He was writing the Music for The Nanny Musical. Devasted .... My prayers are for you. May peace be with you.”

AP contributed to this report.