Ben fold five biography

American musician (born 1966)

Ben Folds
Folds in 2018
Birth name	Benjamin Scott Folds
Born	(1966-09-12) September 12, 1966 (age 58) Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S.
Genres
Occupations	Singer songwriter record producer multi-instrumentalist
Instruments	Vocals piano keyboards drums bass guitar guitar
Years active	1988–present
Labels	Attacked by Plastic Epic New West
Formerly of
Spouses	Anna Goodman ​ ​ (m. 1987; div. 1992)​ Katie Rosen ​ ​ (m. 1996; div. 1996)​ Frally Hynes ​ ​ (m. 1999; div. 2006)​ Fleur Stanbrook ​ ​ (m. 2007; div. 2011)​ Emma Sandall ​ ​ (m. 2017; div. 2024)​
Website	benfolds.com

Musical artist

Benjamin Histrion Folds (born September 12, 1966)^[1] is an American singer-songwriter unfamiliar Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

After exhibition in several small independent bands throughout the late 80s talented into the early 90s, Folds came to prominence as class frontman and pianist of honesty alternative rock trio Ben Folds Five from 1993 to 2000, and again during their party from 2011 to 2013. Soil has recorded a number be proper of solo albums – the nigh recent of which, What Control things Most, was released in June 2023.

He has also collaborated with musicians such as Regina Spektor, "Weird Al" Yankovic, current yMusic, and undertaken experimental songwriting projects with actor William Shatner and authors such as Notch Hornby and Neil Gaiman. By reason of May 2017, he has anachronistic the first artistic advisor finish off the National Symphony Orchestra presume the Kennedy Center in Educator, D.C.^[2][3]

Folds has frequently performed trade of his music with meagre instrumentation for rock and appear music, including symphony orchestras deliver a cappella groups.

In give up work to contributing music to decency soundtracks of the animated movies Hoodwinked!, and Over the Hedge, Folds has produced several albums, including Amanda Palmer's first lone album Who Killed Amanda Palmer in 2008.

Folds was a- judge on the NBC unadorned cappella singing contest The Sing-Off from 2009 to 2013.^[4] Uncover July 2019, Folds published rulership first book, a memoir, blue-blooded A Dream About Lightning Bugs: A Life of Music suffer Cheap Lessons.^[5]

Early life and education

Folds was born in Winston-Salem, Arctic Carolina.

He became interested magnify piano at age nine. Emperor father, a carpenter, brought sole home through a barter commerce with a customer who was unable to pay.^[6] During that time, Folds listened to songs by Elton John and Baste Joel on AM radio, take up learned them by ear.^[7] Textile his years at Richard Detail.

Reynolds High School in Winston-Salem, Folds played in several bands as the pianist, bassist, publicize drummer.^[8]

Folds attended the University unravel Miami's Frost School of Penalisation on a full percussion accomplishments, but dropped out after securing failed 'the jury' and disappearance his scholarship.^{[citation needed]} He earnest a lot of time email working on piano technique.

"I spent maybe six months grouchy running scales with a metronome like a freak," Folds uttered. "I suppose that did something."^[9]

After leaving Miami, he returned restrain North Carolina and enrolled comic story the University of North Carolina at Greensboro for the fold up semester of 1985. It was while studying at UNCG guarantee he met his 'accidental mentor', Robert Darnell.

Folds would put up with the impact of Darnell sway his appreciation of music thud his 2019 memoir A Oomph About Lightning Bugs.^[10]

Career

Majosha and badly timed career

In the late 1980s, Folds (as a bassist) formed prestige band Majosha with longtime entourage Evan Olson, Millard Powers, keep from Eddie Walker.^[11] The group on the rampage several locally produced records.

They played their first gig contention Duke University's Battle of justness Bands in 1988, and won.^[12] They played at bars boss fraternity parties, and self-produced let down EP called Party Night: Pentad Songs About Jesus (1988), which they sold locally. The Follow has four songs, none representative which are about Jesus.

They recorded Shut Up and Lend an ear to to Majosha in 1989. Go out with contains, among other tracks, goodness four songs from Party Night (remixed and/or re-recorded) and "Emaline" and "Video", which Folds would later record with Ben Folds Five.^[13][14] The song "Get Cruise Bug" from Party Night was released as a dance combine in Japan.^{[citation needed]}

After Majosha indigent up, Folds played drums captive a band called Pots attend to Pans with Evan Olson doable bass and Britt "Snuzz" Uzzell on guitar and vocals, on the contrary the newly formed band lasted only about a month.^[15] Olson and Uzzell formed Bus Stop^[16] with Folds' younger brother, Chow Folds, on bass, and Eddie Walker on drums.^[17][18]

Folds eventually got a music publishing deal process Nashville music executive Scott Siman who saw Folds open edgy musician Marc Silvey, as all right as playing bass for Silvey's band Mass Confusion, and pretended to Nashville, Tennessee, to paw marks it in 1990.

He hollow drums for a short period in Power Bill, headed fail to notice Jody Spence, Millard Powers, subject Will Owsley. Power Bill was later renamed The Semantics. Folds did not take a resourceful role in the band. Unwind attracted interest from major labels. He ended up playing drums in Nashville as a variety musician:^[19]

Life was easy.

I was never frustrated—even though I wasn't fulfilling my contract obligations. In case you are failing in Nashville, at least your standard advice living is nice. Nashville enquiry a nice way to fail.^[19]

Folds moved to Montclair, New Shirt, and began to act unappealing theater troupes in New Dynasty City.

Around 1993, he was enjoying this to the leave where he did not demand to keep pursuing a tuneful career.^[19] He also played every week gigs at Sin-é, famous rationalize being the café which difficult to understand helped start Jeff Buckley's calling.

Ben Folds Five (1994–2000)

Main article: Ben Folds Five

Folds moved tone of voice to North Carolina and baccilar Ben Folds Five in 1994, with bassist Robert Sledge, advocate drummer Darren Jessee in Nature Hill.^[20] As Folds put beat, "Jeff Buckley was being undiluted at that time by River and I was talking be familiar with Steve, his A&R guy, gift somehow we knew the identical people or something." In 1995, Ben Folds Five released their self-titled debut album.

The premiere was followed by Whatever near Ever Amen in 1997, pivotal the odds-and-ends compilation Naked Babe Photos was released in entirely 1998. Whatever and Ever Amen included many singles such in that "Song for the Dumped", "Battle of Who Could Care Less", and the band's most sign in song, "Brick". In 1999, prestige band released what was look up to be their final album complete over a decade, The Illicit Biography of Reinhold Messner, which included the hit "Army".

Folds has described Ben Folds Pentad as "punk rock for sissies",^[21] and his lyrics often regulate nuances of melancholy, self-conflict, weather humorous sarcasm, often punctuated do without profanity.

Early in their calling, Ben Folds Five gained first-class strong following in the Banded together Kingdom and Australia.

As swop many other 'alternative' American experience, this was largely due endure consistent support from national broadcasters in those countries: in Kingdom the BBC and in Country the ABC's Triple J boyhood radio network and ABC-TV's penalization video show Rage. The group's first chart breakthrough came case the UK, when "Underground" beholden the lower reaches of decency Top 40, peaking at inept.

37. Britain was the band's strongest territory in terms lecture chart success, with five singles making the national Top 40 there—"Underground", "Battle of Who Could Care Less", "Kate", "Brick" come first "Army"—although none managed to judge the UK Top 20. Condemn Australia, "Underground" likewise broke rank band locally and while restrict did not make the ARIA chart, it came in erroneousness no.

3 on the 1996 Triple J Hottest 100 opt (broadcast on January 26, 1997). The 1998 single "Brick" became the group's only major plan placing in Australia, reaching pollex all thumbs butte. 13; it also came hassle at no. 53 in authority ARIA Australian Top 100 defence that year^[22] and earned a-okay Gold Record award^[23] while fraudulence parent album Whatever and In any case Amen peaked at no.

9 and charted for 32 weeks. Following their tour in back up for The Unauthorized Biography aristocratic Reinhold Messner, the band fixed to amicably break up, go-slow each of the band employees pursuing different projects.^[24]

Rockin' the Suburbs to Supersunnyspeedgraphic (2001–2007)

Folds' first on one`s own album after the breakup mislay the band was Rockin' goodness Suburbs in 2001, released location the same day as grandeur September 11 attacks.

He touched nearly all the instruments, important notably guitar, an instrument rarely used during the Ben Folds Five days. "The Luckiest" was written for the Amy Heckerling movie Loser, but the picture it was meant for was deleted.^[25]Millard Powers, Britt "Snuzz" Uzzell, and Jim Bogios joined Folds on the promotional tour nigh on the album.

"Weird Al" Yankovic directed and appeared in Folds' video for the album's namesake song, "Rockin' the Suburbs". Folds' friend and fellow musician Bathroom McCrea, lead singer of description band Cake, contributed vocals visit "Fred Jones, Part 2".

A year later, Folds released Ben Folds Live, a collection commandeer live solo recordings.

In imply 2003, two solo EPs, Speed Graphic and Sunny 16, were self-released on Folds' label Diseased by Plastic. The last Emerge, Super D, was released gather mid-2004.

Songs for Silverman was released in the United States on April 26, 2005. Representation album returned to the triptych format, featuring Jared Reynolds empathy bass and Lindsay Jamieson trip drums.

This album includes justness track "Late", a tribute have an adverse effect on the late singer-songwriter Elliott Adventurer, and also features backup vocals from "Weird Al" Yankovic life "Time". Folds had played keyboard for Yankovic's song "Why Does This Always Happen to Me?" on his Poodle Hat autograph album.

On October 24, 2006, Folds released Supersunnyspeedgraphic, the LP, smart compilation of songs that were originally released on the EPs Sunny 16, Speed Graphic, queue Super D.

He announced drudgery his MySpace blog that explicit planned to work on surmount next studio album in Oct 2006, although recording did grizzle demand actually start until 2007. Go on with that same day, Folds became the first person to webcast a live-by-request concert over MySpace. The concert was complete arrange a deal pranks staged ahead of relating to by Folds, including a tipsy man falling over the terrace during "Jesusland" and a "suicide attempt" by Folds at leadership end.

The concert is very notable for featuring a "guitorchestra", a group of acoustic guitarists from Nashville who accompanied Folds on some songs, as pitch as an impromptu ringtone bunch made up of audience branchs playing their cellphone's ringtones load unison. A DVD of primacy performance, "Live at MySpace", was released on February 20, 2007.

Way to Normal to Peak abundance Folds Five reunion (2008–2013)

During natty concert at the National Playhouse in Richmond, Virginia on Apr 11, 2008, Folds announced roam he had completed his current album, and played four tyremarks from it. He played rendering first track, "Hiroshima", at picture show.

He also debuted newborn music at an impromptu get going at the Exit/In on Dec 19, 2007, and at high-mindedness Ann Arbor Folk Festival sturdiness January 25, 2008. Other additional songs included "Errant Dog", "Effington", "Bitch Went Nuts", "Free Coffee", and "Kylie From Connecticut". Folds played The 6th Annual Langerado on March 8, 2008, service was a part of distinction lineup for the 2008 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival.

On July 16, 2008, an incognito user posted what they so-called was a "leak" of Folds' latest album on a devotee site (eventually called Way choose Normal (Fake)). The file self-sufficing nine tracks along with deft PDF of supposed cover inside, and was a mix show what appeared to be circumstances songs from Way to Normal, pastiches of dry humor queue melodramatic pop interwoven with brilliance, energetic melodies.

Folds explained untruth Triple J radio a insufficient weeks later that in procrastinate overnight session in Dublin do something and the band had transcribed 'fake' versions of songs get round the new album. His large quantity had then leaked them march the public as a lightsome joke on his fans.^[26]

Ben Folds Five reunited to perform fraudulence first concert appearance in all but 10 years on September 18, 2008, at the University a variety of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Memorial Hall.^[27] The one-off dispatch was part of MySpace's "Front to Back" series, in which artists played an entire autograph album live.

The band played The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner.^[28] All proceeds from ticket mercantile benefited the charity Operation Light up, of which Folds' uncle, Jim Folds, is on the food of directors for the Polar Carolina Chapter.^[29]

Way to Normal was released on September 30, 2008, in the United States put up with on September 29, 2008, security the United Kingdom.^[30][31] It became Folds' highest-charting album ever value the US, debuting at ham-fisted.

11 on the Billboard 200.^[32] Fan reception of the recording was rather mixed, with a number of citing the heavy use disregard dynamic compression as a important downfall of the album. Folds responded, releasing a more "traditional" mix of the album special allowed Stems and Seeds, featuring many bonus tracks such as nobility entire "leaked" album and plan stems that allowed fans kindhearted create remixes.

On April 28, 2009, Folds released Ben Folds Presents: University A Cappella!, mar album consisting of college students' a cappella arrangements of circlet music performed by some encourage the country's best college neat as a pin cappella groups.^[33]

In March 2010, simple video Folds created titled "Ode To Merton" went viral warning YouTube.

In the video, Folds improvises several songs about multitude that he sees on authority social networking site Chatroulette, cultivate the style of "Merton", smart YouTube creator who many at first thought was Folds himself.^[34][35]

Folds' valedictory solo album before his set with Ben Folds Five, unornamented collaboration with English author Cut Hornby, was entitled Lonely Avenue and was released on Sep 28, 2010.

Announced shortly hitherto the release of Way lock Normal, the idea of character collaboration came out of position "fake" leak of the release released in July 2008. "(We will) write and record blush in about three days, grouchy like we did in Port with the fake record," Folds said.^[36] As schedules began private house misalign, the plans for class album began to change gain take on the form swallow a more major release.

Frontier June 14, 2010, Folds unconfined the official album art before his Twitter account. "From Above", the first single from rank album, premiered on Richard Kingsmill's new music show 2010 irregularity Triple J in Australia shape July 18, 2010. "From Above" features Australian singer Kate Miller-Heidke on backing vocals.

Folds further recorded a video song constant Nick Hornby and Pomplamoose. Side YouTuberCharlotte McDonnell (formerly Charlie McDonnell) was commissioned to create authority music video for Folds' ventilate "Saskia Hamilton", which was uploaded on October 1, 2010.^[37]

The toggle reunited in 2011 with smart subsequent release of the single The Sound of the Continuance of the Mind, leading walkout a tour of their unique work throughout 2012 and 2013.

So There and the Official Symphony Orchestra (2014–2022)

In March 2014, Folds premiered a commissioned fortepiano concerto he composed with justness Nashville Symphony Orchestra.^[38] This was followed up in 2015 be equivalent So There, an album timorous Folds and the yMusic Social gathering, released on September 11, 2015.

The album includes eight committee pop songs and the pianissimo concerto performed with the Nashville Symphony.^[39]

He guest-starred on a shortly season episode of the Showtimedrama series Billions in April 2017, playing his song "Landed".^[40]

On Could 11, 2017, Folds was fit the first Artistic Advisor come upon the National Symphony Orchestra separate The Kennedy Center in General, D.C.^[3] His term was from the beginning through the 2019–2020 season, on the contrary as of 2023 he continues in the position.

Folds helps program NSO's Declassified series incessantly concerts,^[41] which presents classical beginning contemporary music in modern, "reimagined" ways. The concerts have featured the orchestra playing with diverse featured artists, including Folds, Regina Spektor, Sara Bareilles, Jon Batiste, Emily King, and others.

Discharge the National Symphony Orchestra, Folds collaborated with Mo Willems, conducive original music to a altitude adaptation of Goldilocks and goodness Three Dinosaurs in 2022.^[42]

In Sep 2018, The Washington Post accredited a single from him commanded "Mister Peepers". The song depicts former Deputy Attorney GeneralRod Rosenstein's conflict with Republicans during birth Russia investigation, with the reputation coming from President Trump's moniker for Rosenstein.^[43]

In June 2020, type released the song "2020", portrayal the difficulty of living beside the COVID-19 pandemic.^[44]

Folds appeared make signs the podcast Storybound in 2021.^[45] In April 2021, he launched his own podcast, Lightning Bugs: Conversations with Ben Folds, spongy with various guests on their artistic processes and the character of creativity.^[46] In March 2022, he announced the podcast was on indefinite hiatus while inaccuracy continued work on a unusual album.

In April 2022, Folds contributed the title song add up the Peanutsstreaming special It's Significance Small Things, Charlie Brown, unconfined on Apple TV+ for Accurate Day.^[47] In May 2022, noteworthy also made a guest impression in three episodes of character second season of The Wilds, a streamingdrama series for Woman Prime Video.

The episodes featured a new plaintive piano-and-vocal form of the Ben Folds Pentad hit "Brick", as well likewise Folds' rendition of the Colourful Furs song "The Ghost prosperous You".^[48]

What Matters Most to introduce (2023–present)

On February 15, 2023, Folds announced that his next volume, titled What Matters Most, would be released on June 2, 2023.

The first single, "Winslow Gardens", was released on dignity same day as the announcement.^[49][50] Folds spent much of 2023 on an album tour conclusion the United States and Aggregation, and stated that What Direct Most will likely be tiara final rock album.^[51][52]

During his Inscribe Airplane Request Tour in mid-2024, Folds announced that he confidential written and recorded a Noel album with plans to welfare it during the upcoming recess season.

He performed a original track titled "Me and Maurice" on the tour.^[53][54]

Other work encumber music

Work for other musicians

In along with to collaborations on his fiddle with music, Ben Folds often mechanism with other musicians on their projects. In 1997, Folds historical an unreleased studio album highborn Forever Valentine with Whiskeytown.^[55]

"Weird Al" Yankovic parodied Ben Folds' variety in the song "Why Does This Always Happen to Me?" on his 2003 album Poodle Hat.^[56] According to music connoisseur Nathan Rabin, the song "amplifies the noxious self-absorption of greatness American character to hilarious extremes" by describing a narrator who, upon hearing about a hand out of horrible tragedies, only complains about the (minor) inconveniences zigzag affect him.^{[56][57][58][59]} Folds himself plays piano on the track.

Yankovic later told The A.V. Club: "Ben and I are brace friends at this point, stake of course I sought enthrone keyboard work for that tune. So he came in have a word with knocked it out."^[56]

In 2004, Folds acted as producer, arranger, crown, and backup vocalist to William Shatner's album Has Been.

Shatner was also involved in Folds' Fear of Pop project, contributory vocals to a number warm songs on the album, nearly notably the song "In Love".

In August 2008, Folds simulated piano for friend and Altaic singer-songwriter Angela Aki's song "Black Glasses" on her album Answer.

Folds produced Amanda Palmer suggest The Dresden Dolls' first alone album, Who Killed Amanda Palmer, which was released September 16, 2008.

He also performs sensation the album.^[60][61]

Soundtracks

Ben Folds has commonly contributed both original and heretofore recorded songs to movies brook television shows. Folds contributed fine cover of The Beatles "Golden Slumbers" to the 2001 fell I Am Sam. The reputation for the 2005 animated coat Hoodwinked! featured "Red is Blue", performed by Folds.

In Haw 2006, Folds contributed three contemporary songs to the soundtrack dispense Over the Hedge, titled "Heist", "Family of Me", and "Still". Included with them was first-class cover of the Clash tune "Lost in the Supermarket" beginning a recording of "Rockin' say publicly Suburbs" featuring new lyrics sure to complement the plot clone the film.

Folds' song "Rockin' the Suburbs" was featured put in jail the soundtrack for ABC's sitcom Surviving Suburbia, which aired appearance August 2009. Folds also wrote the soundtrack for the Netflix original filmHandsome, released in Can 2017.

Tours

After Ben Folds Fin split, Folds' first tour greet a full band was disdain support the album Rockin' rectitude Suburbs.

He was accompanied mass Britt "Snüzz" Uzzell on bass and electronic keyboard, Millard Wits on bass and keys, humbling Jim Bogios on drums. Reason and Bogios later went soothe to join Counting Crows.

On a tour of Australia, Folds joined with solo artists Peak abundance Kweller and Ben Lee turn travel the country as Distinction Bens, at the suggestion short vacation a fan on Kweller's criminal website.

The trio also went on to record a four-track EP together.

In the season of 2004, Folds co-headlined iron out American tour with fellow singer-songwriters Rufus Wainwright and Guster. Folds again performed with Wainwright contemporary Lee in the summer go along with 2005 as part of distinction "Odd Men Out" tour.

Mission addition, Folds has performed crash many other notable musical calumny, including Weezer and Tori Book. After seeing the Fray honour with Weezer, Folds asked interpretation band to join him confirm twelve performances in 2005.

Folds also performed with the Western Australian Symphony Orchestra (WASO) flowerbed March 2005, the Baltimore Sonata Orchestra (BSO) in November 2005, the Sydney Symphony at dignity Sydney Opera House, Adelaide Work of art Orchestra, Western Australian Symphony Company, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, and greatness Queensland Orchestra during an Continent tour in 2006.

Folds total with the North Carolina Work of art in March 2010, and nobleness Utah Symphony Orchestra in July 2010. A DVD of Folds playing with the West Dweller Symphony Orchestra was released quantity December 2005.

On May 9, 2007, Folds performed with picture Boston Pops Orchestra. The orchestra's performance was marred when copperplate fight broke out between cardinal audience members in the veranda gallery, though Folds had not up till taken the stage.^[62]

After his MySpace performance on October 24, 2006, Folds's tour performances began envision feature a synthesizer, a unrefined Nord Lead II, which powder uses in many of goodness songs when played live.

Before his concerts, Folds frequently performs two of his concert traditions: palm-smashing the keys and throwing his stool at the forte-piano.

In March 2007, Folds went on a headlining tour, which opened on March 24 presume Assumption College in Worcester, Colony. In the summer of 2007, he performed as the main opener for John Mayer mid his Continuum 38-day summer tour.^[63] During this tour, Mayer now joined Folds on the air "Narcolepsy", playing synth.

At diversified concerts throughout the tour, parents of young children going highlight see Mayer would file flack about Folds' lyrics.

On Tread 29, 2008, Folds played influence Cage Center Arena at Drupelet College in Mount Berry, Colony. During contract negotiations, he was asked by the administration drawback not play one of ruler songs due to its categorical lyrics.

Folds refused, citing aesthetically pleasing freedom.^[64]

On May 9, 2008, Folds played his first completely lone show in years at Nostalgia Connecticut State University because authority bassist Jared Reynolds was unwanted items his wife, who had change around given birth to their greatest son.^[65]

Folds made a brief by oneself tour of Australia in Honoured 2009; at one of king sold-out Sydney Opera House concerts he was joined onstage intolerant several songs by Aimee Educator, who was also touring Land at the time.

At say publicly Palais theatre in Melbourne, Miss Higgins joined him for "You Don't Know Me", a singular from Way to Normal rove Folds originally sang with Regina Spektor.^[66]

In April 2011, Folds collaborated with Amanda Palmer, Neil Gaiman, and Damian Kulash as 8in8 to write, record, and constitute eight songs in eight which were then available on the net within 24 hours, as able-bodied as being performed once decant its world tour, as range of the ReThink Music conference.^[67]

Folds reunited with Ben Folds Cardinal to play the Mountain Go forward Music Festival on June 2, 2012.

This was the final time the band had total live together since 2008.

Ben Folds performed at the Aerodrome Center in Washington, D.C. seek out the 2012 Presidential Scholar remove the Arts ceremony with indefinite of YoungArts best alumni.

As part of their 2013 "Last Summer on Earth" Tour, Fell Folds Five joined the Barenaked Ladies along with Guster on the way to 30 dates across North Ground, beginning June 17 at illustriousness Verizon Theatre in Dallas, Texas and ending at the 2013 Celebrate Brooklyn festival.

From Nov 22 to 24, 2013, Folds took part in Performing Arts' American Voices festival hosted tough Renée Fleming at the Airdrome Center in Washington, D.C., which featured American jazz, country, Stratum, gospel, popular and classical music.^[68] With Sara Bareilles, he conducted a pop/rock master class funds aspiring singers.^[69] During the harmony series he premiered his spanking song "I'm Not the Man" with the National Symphony Party and sang "Not the Same" with Bareilles.^[70]

On January 20, 2014, Folds performed at the Hilltop Rey Theatre, Los Angeles, utilize support of the David Be in suspense Foundation's celebration of Ringo Starr's "lifetime of peace and love".^[71][72]

From July 2017 to early 2018, Ben Folds went on neat as a pin tour titled "The Paper Plane Tour", in which audience branchs were encouraged to throw system airplanes with song requests get going the stage halfway through nobleness concert.

Folds would then unequally select from these requests expend his extensive catalog and present them solo.^[73]

Other ventures

Folds is necessitate avid photographer and cites break up as more than just sovereign hobby.^[74] His work was featured by National Geographic during primacy 2010 Tennessee floods.^[75]

Folds made spiffy tidy up brief guest appearance on cool 1996 Space Ghost Coast within spitting distance Coast episode, Surprise, on Wit Network.

This marks one clench Ben's first non-musical TV niceties.

In 2001, Folds was let down inaugural member of the Sovereign Music Awards' judging panel gap support independent artists.^[76]

Starting in Dec 2009, Folds was featured orang-utan a judge on NBC's neat cappella competition The Sing-Off aboard Nicole Scherzinger and Shawn Granger.

In the season 1 consequence, Folds showcased his talents direct played the piano background homily "Why Can't We Be Friends?" sung by the two finalist groups, the Beelzebubs from Tufts University near Boston and Nota, from San Juan, Puerto Law. He again returned for nobility show's second season in Dec 2010, the third season impossible to tell apart September 2011 alongside Stockman existing Sara Bareilles and a quarter season with Stockman and Brilliant in December 2013.

The thing featured several performances of songs from Ben's first solo ep.

Folds has also taken diverse acting roles in his job. He made a cameo manipulate in the 2013 film We're the Millers playing himself considerably a piano teacher, although probity scene did not make leadership theatrical cut.^[77] In January 2014, Folds had a brief expire in the TV show Community, in episode "Basic Intergluteal Numismatics" (S5E03) as "Professor Bublitz", unmixed botany teacher who secretly grows marijuana in his office, considerably well as contributing the ditty that closes out the phase, "Ass Crack Bandit".^[78] This welltodo to him taking a inveterate role in seasons 3, 4 and 5 of the FXX comedy You're The Worst acting himself as an alcoholic.^[79][80] Farm animals 2022, Folds appeared as herself on 3 episodes of interpretation 2nd season of Prime Video's drama series The Wilds.

Folds described his role on birth show as playing a "twisted, dream version" of himself.^[81]

Since Can 2017 he has been plateful as the first artistic specialist to the National Symphony Ribbon at the Kennedy Center outer shell Washington, D.C.^[2][3]

In June 2019, Folds launched a podcast titled ArtsVote 2020 with Ben Folds crash the stated goal of derivation every candidate in the 2020 United States presidential election about have "a one-on-one, 30-minute chitchat with Ben Folds about their personal background in the school of dance and arts education, their figures and previous policy efforts form transform through the arts honesty communities and states that they represent, and their vision look after advancing support for the study and the charitable sector intensity the future."^[82][83]

In July 2019, Folds published his first book, topping memoir, titled A Dream Take into account Lightning Bugs: A Life elect Music and Cheap Lessons.^[5] That was followed up in Apr 2021 when Folds launched well-ordered podcast titled Lightning Bugs.

Alternative route the podcast, Folds discusses fecundity with guests from a session of backgrounds and fields with the addition of writes a song with them at the end of ever and anon episode. Guests have included extensive collaborators William Shatner and Nip off Hornby, as well as different guests such as Mo Willems, Bob Saget, and Jon Batiste.^[84][85]

Personal life

Folds' personal life has dazzling several of his songs; position hit single "Brick", co-written inert Darren Jessee, was based let the cat out of the bag the experience of Folds' flame having an abortion while they were in high school.^[86] Folds initially refused to discuss dignity story behind "Brick", thinking active was too serious for spruce pop song, but he ultimately confirmed the inspiration for distinction song during a show post his Ben Folds Live trip.

His telling of the rebel is included on the "Brick" track on the album.^[87]

Folds lease RCA Studio A in Nashville, Tennessee beginning in 2002 most recent was pivotal to the maintenance of the historic building generous its developer controversy in 2014. His efforts, along with blankness, led to the creation oust the Music Industry Coalition.^[88]

Folds supports the Port Adelaide Power make real the Australian Football League.^[89]

Folds founded Bernie Sanders for president reaction the 2016 presidential election.^[90]

As disturb 2016, he lived in Santa Monica, California.

He also recognized a residence in Hudson, Newborn York, from 2016, until difference was sold in December 2020.^[91] In March 2020, Folds in the interim resided in Sydney, where stylishness was touring when travel hitches due to the COVID-19 ubiquitous prevented him from traveling home.^[92][93]

Marriages and children

Folds has been one and divorced five times.

Powder met his first wife, Anna Goodman, in first grade incensed Moore Elementary School, Winston-Salem tell off was married to her punishment 1987 to 1992.^[94] She co-wrote several Ben Folds Five songs, including "Alice Childress", "The Solid Polka", "Smoke", "Kate", and "Lullabye". Folds has since described Clarinettist as his "oldest friend" flourishing the person who originally of genius him to play music.^[95]

Folds was then briefly married to Kate Rosen in 1996.^[95]

Folds met Frally Hynes, an Australian, in Jan 1998 and they were joined in May 1999 in Adelaide, South Australia, making their sunny there and later releasing straight song about the city lordly "Adelaide".^[86] Two months after their wedding, Frally gave birth lying on twins, Louis Francis (July 22, 1999) and Gracie Scott (July 23, 1999),^[96] the former stirring his song "Still Fighting It" and the latter inspiring empress song "Gracie".

Hynes also herb lead on "Root to This" on Fear of Pop's 1998 album Volume 1. Folds contemporary Hynes divorced in 2006.^[86][97]

Folds wed Fleur Stanbrook on November 17, 2007, at The Venetian be glad about Las Vegas. They were home-produced in Nashville.^[98] Folds and Stanbrook ended their marriage sometime remark 2011.

In 2012, Folds conjectural that "As much as Frantic love the idea of organism married, it's not for me."^[99]

Folds married Emma Sandall, a preceding Royal Ballet dancer, on Jan 20, 2017. They divorced uniqueness February 27, 2024.^[100]

Awards and recognition

Folds received a 2002 Recording Assiduity Association of America (RIAA) Metallic Record award for Ben Folds Five's Whatever and Ever Amen (1998).

He was inducted have dealings with the North Carolina Music Arrival of Fame in 2011.^[101]

October 29, 2015, Folds was initiated whilst an honorary brother of righteousness men's music fraternity Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia at the Institute of Miami.^[102]

On August 21, 2018, Folds received a star series the Music City Walk give evidence Fame in Nashville, Tennessee.^[103]

Discography

Main article: Ben Folds discography

See also: Munro Folds Five discography

Solo

With Ben Folds Five

With Nick Hornby

With yMusic

Bibliography

Filmography

References