Ben Folds's Chart

American singer-songwriter whose major breakthrough came with the formation of the alternative rock trio Ben Folds Five in the early 1990s. The band gained significant popularity, leading to Folds' successful solo career. He has released numerous solo albums, with his most recent being What Matters Most in 2023. Folds is known for his collaborations with artists like Regina Spektor, "Weird Al" Yankovic, and yMusic, as well as experimental projects with William Shatner and authors Nick Hornby and Neil Gaiman. Additionally, Folds has made notable contributions in other creative fields, including as a judge on NBC's a cappella contest The Sing-Off and as an author with his memoir A Dream About Lightning Bugs: A Life of Music and Cheap Lessons (2019). Since 2017, he has served as the first artistic advisor to the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. His journey in music began at the age of nine when he developed an interest in piano, inspired by artists like Elton John and Billy Joel. Folds honed his musical skills in high school and later at the University of Miami's Frost School of Music on a full percussion scholarship, though he dropped out to focus on piano. He then attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where he met influential figures who further shaped his musical path​. In the late 1980s, Folds formed the band Majosha with his friends, releasing several records and performing at local venues. After the dissolution of Majosha, he played drums in short-lived bands before moving to Nashville in 1990 to pursue a music publishing deal. In Nashville, Folds engaged in session work and played with various bands, though without taking a creative lead​. Folds has been married five times and divorced four times. He has twin children, Louis Francis (born 22 July 1999) and Gracie Scott (23 July 1999) with his then wife Frally Hynes, an Australian.