Five for Fighting founder John Ondrasik knows a little bit about songwriting.
Ondrasik formed Five for Fighting (yes, he’s a hockey fan) as a solo artist in 1995, after music executives found his name too difficult to pronounce… or market. He had modest success with 1997’s Message for Albert, his critically acclaimed debut album, but became a household name in the early 2000s behind hits like “Superman” and “100 Years.” Since then, Five for Fighting songs have been included in over 350 films, television shows, and commercials.
He’ll be playing those tunes and more, accompanied by a string quartet, in a show at Jane Pickens Film and Events Center in Newport on Tuesday, October 8. Tickets are available here.
I spoke to the singer last week, the day before September 11th, a date that will always be associated with his music. “Superman” became a bonna fide anthem after 9/11 and helped the nation grieve the events of that fateful day.
“Every time September 11 comes around, it’s always a different tone when I play ‘Superman,’ he remarked. “I still have a hard time putting into words, performing at the Concert for New York City (a benefit for families affected by the attack held in October 2001), and meeting with families. I still have relationships with firefighters who ran into those buildings or lost colleagues. It’s a sober time, but in a way, it’s cathartic to play the song.”
I also play a song called “Tuesday,” a song I wrote after the Concert for 9/11, a song about not forgetting the lessons of 9/11. On these quartet tours, we always play both. It seems like yesterday, I think both songs still resonate in our times.”
Ondrasik tours regularly. “I kind of have the best of all worlds these days,” he continued. During the spring and fall, I’ll go out with a string quartet and do intimate storyteller-type shows, and then in the summer, we’ll do the rock tour and play outdoor concerts.”
He’s looking forward to the Newport show. “I get to go out with these amazing players, who blow my mind every night,” he adds. “It allows me to pull some different songs out of my catalog; the strings add a different dynamic to the popular songs. It keeps everything fresh.”
I asked Ondrasik, who was in his mid-30s when he achieved international recognition, what advice he has for aspiring musicians. He shared three priorities for those just starting out.
“You need to write a lot of songs,” he said. “I wrote a couple of thousand songs before anybody heard one. You need to imitate, just go back to the drawing board, and learn you craft. You also have to record your songs and go back and listen to them, and with the technology today, you don’t have to be a musician at all to record.”
“The third, which is always the hardest to do, is to perform live,” continued Ondrasik. “Performing live tells you what you have. When you write a song, your parents and friends like it, but you really never know what you have until you perform it live. It shows you how you grow as a songwriter, and how to grow as a performer and build your audience.”
“The arts are something you are supposed to enjoy and have a passion for,” he adds. “Maybe you’ll make a living out of it, but try to enjoy what you are doing. Don’t be obsessed with having everything right now.”
As is widely known, the music industry has shifted dramatically in recent years. Ondrasik reflected on some of those changes. “I caught the last wave when ‘Superman’ was a hit,” he explained. “2001 was the year the record companies sold the most records, and then with streaming, everything collapsed. Tour support went away, then budgets went away. The whole landscape changed pretty quickly.”
“The beauty of the world today is that you don’t need to spend $200,000 to make a record. You can make a really great-sounding record on your laptop, and with social media, you don’t need a record company to be heard.”
In many ways, it’s leveled the playing field,” he says. “It’s an entirely different age, talking to the new kids coming up, it is as much about building your platform as it is about writing the songs. But I still believe that a good song carries the day. And I’m still blessed to be writing songs that seem relevant and see people coming to the shows. To have a career in music has a little to do with talent, and a lot to do with relationships and a work ethic. I’m still living the dream.”
As mentioned, Ondrasik continues to work with families impacted by 9/11. He’s also an ambassador for the Gary Sinese Foundation, where he plays for the troops at military bases around the world and works with families of the victims of the October 7th attacks.
Click here for tickets to the show at Jane Pickens on Tuesday October 8th.