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Five for Fighting is the stage name of US singer-songwriter John Ondrasik.
His 2000 album America Town went platinum in the US due to the success of
the song "Superman (It's Not Easy)" in late 2001. The 2004 album The Battle
For Everything has also enjoyed chart success in the US.
John Ondrasik was born in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles. He grew up
there in a musical family with his mother teaching him the piano from the
age of two.
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As a teenager, he learned how to play the guitar as well and started to
write music. While he also learned to sing opera briefly, he quickly decided
that he would like to be a piano playing popular musician along the lines of
Elton John and Billy Joel. He adopted the name "Five for Fighting" which is
an expression in ice hockey when a player is sent from the rink by the
referee for a major penalty. The reason for use of the name is that it would
be more memorable than his real name.
In 1997, his first album Message for Albert was released by EMI. After the
success of "America Town," Capitol Records re-released this debut album.
Career success
In 2000, Five for Fighting signed with Columbia Records and released America
Town on September 26, 2000. At first, it made little impact until "Superman
(It's Not Easy)" became an anthem after the September 11 attacks. He would
perform the song at The Concert for New York City in late 2001.
"Superman (It's Not Easy)" started climbing the charts reaching the top 20
of the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Billboard Adult Top 40. While
America Town failed to make the top 50 of the Billboard 200 album charts,
its consistent sales led to it going platinum. Superman (It's Not Easy) was
also an international hit reaching number one on a composite adult
international chart (based on performance in the US, Canada, Germany, France,
the United Kingdom and Australia). Second single Easy Tonight would make the
top 20 of the world adult chart as well as going top 20 in New Zealand.
The third album The Battle for Everything debuted at number 20 on the
Billboard 200 in February 2004. Its first single "100 Years" was another top
40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and again reached number one on the World
Adult Top 40. It also was number one on a composite world airplay chart and
top 10 on a composite world modern rock chart. (based on USA, Germany,
United Kingdom, Finland, Sweden, Canada and Australia).
In 2005, the Five for Fighting song "100 Years" was used in a ubiquitous
Chase Manhattan Bank commercial. |
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FIVE FOR FIGHTING PICTURES |
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