The function of this website is to help honor the memory and legacy of music producer Hal Willner, an exemplary kind human being and the most eclectic lover of music. Hal was an innately curious explorer of culture, a tireless archivist, a treasure seeker, an archeologist of forgotten islands in popular culture, the Alan Lomax after Alan Lomax. Before the internet, there was Hal, a personal and cultural sommelier who always made time for everyone, even if he was running late for a meeting or a concert… Hal Willner was a mentor, inspiration and friend to many of us, and he helped expand our vision and understanding of music and change our lives forever.
As Hal always said when one of the greats would pass: “It’s Up to Us Now!”
The site was created and is maintained by Marc Urselli, a music producer and audio engineer who has closely worked with Hal as his sound engineer for 10+ years on multiple projects, including recording & mixing albums produced by Hal Willner, studio sessions, and mixing live sound for various Hal Willner concert productions.
Hal Willner was a mentor to Marc Urselli, and although there is only one Hal and there can never be another like him, Marc is committed to upholding the lessons he learned from Hal and to keeping alive the flame of record-making, community fostering, and boundless genre-agnostic creativity. Marc has since produced various multi-artist concept albums and tribute albums that he dedicated to Hal’s memory.
The pictures used in the header of the website are by © Lovis Dengler Ostenrik and by © Andrew White. Used with permission.