Bill Frisell, Tribute to Hal Willner

Hal was my friend.

It’s been almost 40 years now.

I can’t imagine this world without him in it.

My friend Marc Ribot said it’s like waking up one day and the Empire State Building is gone.

I don’t know what to say.

I wish I could call Hal right now and ask him.

He would know.

He had a way of looking at things from a different angle.

He saw things in me that I didn’t know were there myself. He’d open a door and give me the opportunity to go through it. I never knew what was going to be on the other side. Sometimes I was afraid. He led me into uncharted territory. He trusted me and had no doubt that I’d find my way. He always encouraged me and had faith in me.

I’m thinking now of the Night Music show.

I had recently started my own band. Not many folks knew who we were. But...

Hal invited us to come play on this nationally televised TV show.

He had that kind of trust. We could go on there and play our own original music full force. No compromise. He must have known we could handle it. Then he had the idea for Hank Roberts, Dave Sanborn, Don Alias, Fareed Haque, and myself to play the Bill Withers song “Ain’t No Sunshine” with Sting.

We did one take. It was ok, but I think Hal heard something. Maybe we were a little nervous. Maybe we could do it a little better. He lay down on the floor in the midst of us. He didn’t say anything. Not a word. Just lay down on the floor. Somehow this cleared the way.

Then we played it again and it was light years better.

That day I met

Mary Margaret O’ Hara. She was amazing. Carla and Rufus Thomas were on the show too. Rufus and I sat next to each other getting make up before the show. I can’t believe I was sitting there talking to Rufus Thomas.

The Kinks were on that show!!

Wow.

I treasure every moment.

One of many extraordinary adventures.

Sometimes I think I must be dreaming.

I can’t believe these things actually happened.

I’ve been blessed.

Whatever it is I am now, Hal has been, is, and will always be a huge part of it. Incalculable.

— April 23, 2020