Harry Nilsson
"Harry Nilsson" by Octoberman
Octoberman released "Harry Nilsson" on August 13, 2025, as both a single and video in advance of Chutes, their seventh full-length album.
The song is described as "a shimmering blend of jangle-pop and wistful storytelling" inspired by Nilsson's take on "Without You."
Gary Nilsson Dies
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.
Newly-Released Film of Harry Nilsson and Ringo Starr at the Son Of Dracula Premiere
A newly-released film shows Harry Nilsson and Ringo Starr attending the premiere of Son of Dracula.
Harry Nilsson and Ringo Starr at the Son Of Dracula Premiere
Richard Perry Has Died
Richard Perry, producer of Harry Nilsson's Nilsson Schmilsson has died. Perry died at age 82 on December 24, 2024.
Harris/Waltz Advertisement Uses "Best Friend"
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.
Best friends ❤️ pic.twitter.com/baS5sRfzIo
— Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) September 19, 2024
The video was posted on X (Twitter) but later superceded by a longer TV commercial without Nilsson's song.
Harry Nilsson wrote "Tonight Song" as a possible new theme for the Tonight Show when Jay Leno became the host.
On the June 15, 1998, episode of The Tonight Show Ringo Starr was Jay Leno's first guest.
My (soon to be) wife and I visited Los Angeles to attend Harryfest 1998. Before we left Florida, a friend got us tickets to view a taping of The Tonight Show. She got us VIP passes for the taping on June 15. A few days later, she called back to tell us that she had just learned that Ringo Starr was scheduled to be a guest that day.
Harry was Ringo's best friend. We were going to LA to meet other Nilsson fans. And the show was being taped on Harry's birthday. It seemed too perfect, so I asked my friend if we could arrange to give something to Ringo.
She called back to say that we could leave a package, wrapped in clear plastic, with a guard at the NBC gate.
Monday morning, we gathered up some Nilsson-related stuff to put in the package. As we were about to wrap up the package, I noticed that Curtis Armstrong was wearing a promotional Duit on Mon Dei button. I pretty much just looked at him and he handed us the button, We put in on top in the package with a note reading "Dear Ringo. Please wear this button on the show. If you don't, we want it back."
We left to drive to the NBC Studios. I missed the Burbank exit and we arrived late. I illegally parked on the street near the studio (along with dozens of other illegally parked cars) and we went to the VIP guest entrance. I didn't have time to drop the package off at security, so I gave it to an NBC page and expected it to disappear.
We entered the studio and were seated up high in the VIP area. When Ringo was introduced, he walked out. He was wearing a button. Bracha remarked that it looked too big to be our button. I reminded her that Ringo is small. Then we looked up at the monitor and could clearly see that he was wearing the button that we had given him.
Jay Leno talked with him and Ringo stayed in the guest's chair during the commercial break. Bracha stood, waved, and pointed to her chest - which got Ringo's attention (he married a Bond girl, you know). Ringo looked our way and realized that we were telling him that we had given him the Nilsson button. He smiled and gave us a thumbs up gesture.
-- Roger Smith
Ringo Starr on The Tonight Show
