MUSIC: Five for Fighting with String Quartet

Description

The only way for a story to progress is to turn the page.

John Ondrasik— the songwriter and performer known as the platinum-selling, Grammy-nominated, Five For Fighting—knows this well. In the two decades since his first major single, “Superman (It’s Not Easy),” hit the stratosphere, the artist has both evolved and come back ‘round full circle. Creativity, if nothing else, is paradoxical.

To date, Five For Fighting, has released six studio LPs, including the platinum certified America Town and The Battle for Everything; and the top-10 charting Two Lights, along with an EP and live albums. Ondrasik has penned major hits, including the chart-topping “100 Years,” “The Riddle,” “Chances,” “World,” and “Easy Tonight,” which have earned over one billion streams and place him as a top-10 Hot Adult Contemporary artist for the 2000s. The reflective “100 Years” has joined “Superman (It’s Not Easy)” as part of the American Songbook and continues to stand the test of time at weddings, birthdays, graduations, memorials, and many a home video. Five For Fighting’s music has also been featured in more than 350 films, television shows, and commercials, including the Oscar-winning The Blind Side, Hawaii Five-O, The Sopranos, and the CBS drama, Code Black.

Referencing Fight For Fighting’s success in the 2000s, AllMusic called Ondrasik “one of the decade’s leading balladeers.” But perhaps his biggest achievement is performing “Superman (It’s Not Easy),” at the 2001 Concert for New York, a benefit show at Madison Square Garden that honored first responders and the fallen about a month after the tragic September 11th attacks. Ondrasik performed alongside other big-name artists like Paul McCartney, The Who, Elton John, Billy Joel, and dozens more.

Now, though, what once was a dream is a reality. Buoyed by his unique falsetto voice and his prowess on the piano—a skill bestowed to him by his piano teacher mother—Ondrasik has made a solid reputation for himself in the world of songwriting and performance, selling upwards of three million albums over his career. Not only does he tour with his popular string quartet and play solo and rock band gigs, but he is also a high demand keynote speaker in which he combines themes of creativity and innovation with his business acumen. He’s presented at TEDx, The Salk Institute, American Cancer Society, and dozens more.

About Lace & Lee:
Lace & Lee is a folk rock duo heavily influenced by the mystical wisdom of 60s and 70s storytelling, with a twist of humor and bard-like prose. Caroline Lace and Olivia Lee began their musical journey at NYU Tisch, and have since toured with Five For Fighting. Their ethereal vocals and risky harmonies carry the spirit and charm of Celtic music, often holding a mirror up to the 21st century.

Tickets: Five for Fighting w/ String Quartet | The Music Hall | 9/24/26