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Fountains of Wayne's Adam Schlesinger hospitalised with COVID-19, his family is 'cautiously optimistic'

Adam Schlesinger, best known as co-founder of the band Fountains of Wayne, is hospitalised in upstate New York with COVID-19.

While it was initially reported that the 52-year-old bassist, singer and songwriter was in a medically-induced coma, his attorney Jaime Herman tells Yahoo that is inaccurate. However, he is very ill and has been hospitalised for more than a week.

Herman provided a statement from Schlesinger’s family, saying, “Thank you for the outpouring of love for Adam and his family. Adam has been hospitalised with COVID-19.

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“He’s on a ventilator and has been sedated to facilitate his recovery. He is receiving excellent care, his condition is improving and we are cautiously optimistic. His family appreciates all of the love and support.”

Musician/composer, Adam Schlesinger visits SiriusXM Studios on April 19, 2018 in New York City.  (Photo by Mireya Acierto/Getty Images)
Musician/composer, Adam Schlesinger visits SiriusXM Studios on April 19, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Mireya Acierto/Getty Images)

Another attorney for Schlesinger, Josh Grier, told Variety that the musician is still “very sick.”

While Schlesinger became famous for Fountains of Wayne hits like MTV staple “Stacy’s Mom,” which he co-wrote with Chris Collingwood and recorded five albums with the group, he was also a member of the bands Ivy and Tinted Windows and a contributor/producer for Fever High.

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Schlesinger’s songwriting has earned him three Emmy Awards and a Grammy — as well as Academy Award, Golden Globe and Tony nominations.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 14: (L-R) Adam Schlesinger, Rachel Bloom and Jack Dolgen pose for photos in the press room for the 2019 Creative Arts Emmy Awards on September 14, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic)
Adam Schlesinger, Rachel Bloom and Jack Dolgen pose for photos in the press room at the 2019 Creative Arts Emmy Awards in September. (Photo: Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic)

Schlesinger and Rachel Bloom collaborated on the music in her popular The CW show Crazy Ex-Girlfriend — for which he served as series composer. He won an Emmy, with Bloom and fellow lyricist Jack Dolgen, in September. Prior to that, he won two other Emmys for original music he made for the Tony Awards in 2013 and 2012.

His Grammy win was in 2009 for Best Comedy Album for A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift Of All!, which he helped compose for Stephen Colbert — though he also received two nominations in 2003 for his work with Fountains of Wayne.

Schlesinger also wrote the music for Tom Hanks’s directorial debut, 1996’s That Thing You Do!, for which he earned his Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for the title track. (Hanks and wife Rita Wilson have recovered from COVID-19.)

Schlesinger was also nominated for two Tonys in 2008 for Cry-Baby the musical.