Five for Fighting

Five for Fighting biography

Five for Fighting is the stage name of American singer-songwriter John Ondrasik. He is best known for his piano-based rock, such as the Top 40 songs "Superman (It's Not Easy)" (2001), "100 Years" (2003), and "The Riddle" (2006).

Early years

John Ondrasik was born on January 7, 1965, in Los Angeles, a child of a musical family. In his early years, Ondrasik learned the piano, and in his teens he learned to play the guitar and started to write music. While he also learned to sing opera briefly, he soon decided that he would like to be a singer/songwriter. Ondrasik graduated from UCLA with a degree in applied science and mathematics. While in college he continued to pursue music in his spare time. He adopted the name "Five for Fighting," which is an expression in ice hockey, which he used to play, when a player receives a five-minute penalty for fighting. Ondrasik is a life-long fan of the NHL's Los Angeles Kings.

Career

Ondrasik's first album, Message for Albert, was released by EMI in 1997. Capitol Records re-released this album after the success of America Town.

Aware Records' Mark Cunningham was a big fan of Five For Fighting and made contact with Ondrasik. Cunningham then passed on Ondrasik's demos to the label's new A&R Steve Smith. Smith loved the recordings and after a discussion with Aware head Gregg Latterman they met with Ondrasik and set up a deal shortly afterwards in partnership with Columbia Records. The album America Town on September 26, 2000. The album had impact, but "Superman (It's Not Easy)" became an anthem after the September 11 attacks. Ondrasik performed the song at The Concert for New York City in late 2001. Five for Fighting contributed a live performance version of his song "Superman" to the charity album Live in the X Lounge IV. While America Town failed to make the top 50 of the Billboard 200 album charts, its consistent sales eventually led to its going platinum.

His third album, The Battle for Everything, debuted at number 20 on the Billboard 200 in February 2004. It included the single "100 Years", which reached #1 on the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart and stayed at #1 for 12 non consecutive weeks. In October 2009, The Battle for Everything was RIAA certified Platinum.

Two years later, the album Two Lights was released; this became his first career Top 10 album, debuting at number 8 on the Billboard 200 in August 2006. Its first single, "The Riddle", became Ondrasik's third career Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 40. A video of the second single, "World", has been used to raise funds for various charities (see Philanthropy below).

On the weekend of January 27 and 28, 2007, Ondrasik filled in for radio host Casey Kasem on the American Top 20 (where he counted down to his own hit "World"), and American Top 10 (where he counted down to his own hit "The Riddle").

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