Hal Willner (born 1957, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American music producer working in recording, films, TV and live events. He is best known for assembling tribute albums and events featuring a wide variety of artists and musical styles (jazz, classical, rock, Tin Pan Alley).
In the 1970s he worked under record producer Joel Dorn. Willner is often credited as the inventor of the 'modern' tribute album with Amarcord Nino Rota in 1981. He became music supervisor of Saturday Night Live in 1981, a position which he has continued to hold. He was also a producer of the TV program Night Music hosted by David Sanborn.
Willner has also produced albums for Marianne Faithfull, Lou Reed, Bill Frisell, William S. Burroughs, Gavin Friday, Lucinda Williams and Allen Ginsberg, among others. He produced a live tribute concert to Tim Buckley, that ultimately launched the career of Tim's son Jeff. He has released one album under his own name: Whoops, I'm an Indian, which featured audio samples from 78 rpm records from the early-mid 20th century.
