It is with great sadness that we have learned of the passing of Gary Nilsson.
Gary was a supporter of this website, providing photographs, news articles, and personal anecdotes about his half-brother, Harry Nilsson. Gary was a fan of popular music and Harry's music in particular. His Facebook page is full of photos of him with pop stars from the 1960s and '70s. As a featured guest at Harryfest 2002 he shared stories of growing up as both a fan and relative of Harry Nilsson and about his, and Harry's, father who shared Harry's love of baseball and was once a scout for the Cincinnati Reds.
But, beyond all of that, Gary was a friend. He will be missed.
Harry Nilsson News (2025-02-20)
Newly-Released Film of Harry Nilsson and Ringo Starr at the Son Of Dracula Premiere
On September 19, 2024, the Kamala Harris presidential campaign released a video showing clips of rival Donald Trump praising Mark Robinson a gubernatorial candidate under scrutiny for posting inflammatory comments on a pornography website. Nilsson's "Best Friend" plays throughout the short video.
"Nilsson!" is based on a concept by Bill van Dijk. Developed under the working title of "Late Last Night," the play takes place over the last two seconds of Harry's life as he reflects on his life and music with characters such as John Lennon appearing as hallucinations experienced by Harry and seen by the audience.
Nilsson! Play
I was enthralled by Harry's voice, lyrics, humor and irony when I first heard him sing in the late sixties. The fact that he never performed live, that he had said that he'd make 21 albums and stopped at number 20, his biggest hits were not his own, his non-relationship with a live audience, and the fact that the Beatles dubbed him best singer and band intrigued me. Instead of making a tribute album I thought that his material had such theatrical substance that I decided to make a musical play about him. My intentions are to reveal his genius to a new, young audience.
As the one and a half hour musical play opens, it is 1994 and Harry wonders if his reluctance to performing has made him less well-known especially among the younger generation. John Lennon appears and tells Harry that a "new work" performed live is the way of the future. John takes Harry back to 1974 (the Lost Weekend / Pussycats era). There, Harry tries to change his fate, but fate is inevitable. The Lost Weekend becomes a nightmare for Harry, a sinking ship. John pushes Harry into a live performance (synonymous for death), but Harry can't take it anymore and calls out for Una, who is always there for him. Harry dies, at peace with his fate, in her arms.
Bill van Dijk ("Harry")
Bill has starred in numerous musicals around the world from "Hair" to "Les Miserables." He created the role of "Cyrano" at the Neil Simon Theater on Broadway in 1993-94, performed in four feature films, and represented the Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest. As a songwriter singer he's written a number of hits for others and recently made a solo album of his own songs (Songlines) with Jan Akkerman (guitarist of the legendary band Focus).
Jim played in the feature film, Vincent and Theo. "Nilsson!" is Jim's theatre debut. Jim, (who looks exactly like John Lennon) is the son of legendary Dutch popstar Boudewijn de Groot. He has his own band, Babyface Armstrong.
Lottie won the Danny Kaye children's award. At the age of 19 she received rave reviews for her first leading role in the musical play, "Far Out" ("Eindeloos"), and played the part of "Ellen" in "Miss Saigon." She has been touted as the Netherlands' brightest young talent of the future.
Werktheater is a small (300 seat) theater where new plays and musical plays preview and try out to see whether these productions have the possibility to play in bigger theaters and longer runs.
The songs, performed in English, are beautiful and sensitive. [...] Lottie Hellingman's performance gives you the goosebumps.
Hervorm Nederland
Maartje Luif
Lennon [is] convincingly brought to life by Jim de Groot. [...] Once the last note has resounded, one wants to do what Nilsson asks, "Turn on your radio and listen to my song."
Parool
Dirk-Jan Arensman
Beautiful, clean setting, atmospheric slides. [...] Not a bad word about this small tasteful production. [...] The excellent script, by Jeroen van den Berg, has it all: humor, tragedy, suspense.
Telegraaf
Marcel Peereboom Voller
Bill van Dijk is the perfect Harry Nilsson.
Trouw
Frank Verhalen
Slick four-piece band which plays at pop concert loudness. [...] Van Dijk and de Groot are worthy followers of Nilsson and Lennon - two giant talents whom we painfully see fall into decay. [...] Bill van Dijk's farewell song, 'Turn on Your Radio,' is a gem.
NRC
Henk van gelder
Fabulous compositions. [...] Surprisingly well acted by pop musician Jim de Groot.
Algemeen Daghiad
Nico Heemelaar
Lennon-Nilsson dialogues are so sharply written and are played with such zeal that these excerpts are enough to tell a rounded story. [...] Singing. movement. acting. Lottie Hellingman has it all. [...] Bill van Dijk is clearly in his element. [...] This production makes you want to find the unreleased tapes of Harry Nilsson.
This site is dedicated to the music and memory of Harry Nilsson. From the late 1960s through the early '90s, Nilsson produced music that both challenged norms and celebrated the past - often within the same song.
On first listen, his early Pandemonium Shadow Show is just an appealing collection of bouncy pop songs, a product of the time when it was released. But, on closer listen songs like "1941" and "Without Her" feature poignant and wistful lyrics on top of their upbeat, pop melodies. To the listener in the late 1960s, the melodies and songs, such as “Freckles” sometimes invoked what would have seemed a nostalgic air, but they still sound fresh more than fifty years later.
Nilsson remained unconventional throughout his career. He never toured to support an album and he made few TV appearances. He released an album of songs which were all written by another songwriter. He recorded an album of standards in front of an orchestra. He followed up his best selling album and song with an album featuring a song pretty much guaranteed to surprise, if not offend, his new fans.
Harry ventured into movies and TV, creating a classic animated story (“The Point!”) and writing the music and songs for the once-panned, but now cult favorite, film Popeye starring Robin Williams.
In the last years of his life, after his friend John Lennon was shot and killed, Harry stepped back from music and, ironically perhaps, more into the public eye as the spokesperson for the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence advocating for sensible gun laws in America.
I was enthralled by Harry's voice, lyrics, humor and irony when I first heard him sing in the late sixties. The fact that he never performed live, that he had said that he'd make 21 albums and stopped at number 20, his biggest hits were not his own, his non-relationship with a live audience, and the fact that the 
