Watch Fountains of Wayne honor fallen bandmate Adam Schlesinger, who died from COVID-19

Three weeks after their bandmate Adam Schlesinger died from complications related to COVID-19, the members of Fountains of Wayne performed together for the first time in seven years to salute their fallen friend and their home state of New Jersey.

As part of Wednesday’s “Jersey 4 Jersey” benefit for coronavirus relief, surviving members Chris Collingwood, Jody Porter and Brian Young performed together from their homes, with the help of L.A.-based singer-songwriter Sharon Van Etten on bass and backup vocals.

“Right now, we’ve got something special for you: a great New Jersey band,” said “The Late Show” host Stephen Colbert, introducing the touching tribute. “I was lucky enough to work with one of their founding members, longtime Montclair resident Adam Schlesinger, who tragically passed away from the coronavirus.”

On cue, the musicians launched into a live rendition of “Hackensack,” named for the New Jersey city, co-written by Schlesinger and lead singer Collingwood for Fountains of Wayne’s 2003 album, “Welcome Interstate Managers.”

“This is for Adam, his parents, his children and New Jersey,” Collingwood said. The band last toured together in 2013.

In the days following Schlesinger’s death, Collingwood took to Twitter to thank “everyone for all your kind words of sympathy and support.”

“Answering everyone will take a long time,” he wrote. “My thoughts are with Adam’s children and his parents, who treated me as one of their own.”

Among the other acts who participated in the “Jersey 4 Jersey” show, streamed on Apple Music and AppleTV, were Tony Bennett, Jon Bon Jovi, Halsey, Charlie Puth, Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa, SZA, Danny DeVito, Whoopi Goldberg, Chelsea Handler and Chris Rock.

At the end of the Fountains of Wayne performance, Collingswood held his guitar and bowed his head.

“I will wait for you as long as I need to,” the band sang. “And if you ever get back to Hackensack / I’ll be here for you.”