I had one of the best days of my radio career: I got to speak with one of my favorite musical artists of all time - John Ondrasik of Five For Fighting. His albums Slice and Bookmarks are two of my favorite albums ever, and "Superman (It's Not Easy) is my favorite song of all time. I was a Superman fan from a young age, so naturally, the song resonated with me because of that. My dad would rock me to sleep to the song most nights. I'll forever connect the song with my dad and I growing up. Over the years, the song has taken many forms for me, and it has gotten me through some hard times.

Townsquare Spotlight w/ John Ondrasik of Five For Fighting

Hence why it was an honor to speak with John Ondrasik this weekend. John and I talk about his latest "Music Matters Challenge" in conjunction with Music in Our Schools Month. We also talk about how John is no stranger to writing songs with strong social messages. His latest single "OK" dives into the catastrophes happening in Israel. John shares accounts of his recent visit to Israel and performing for refugees. Lastly, we talk of the legacy songs like "Superman (It's Not Easy)" and "100 Years" have had on the social consciousness.

Catching Up w/ GRAMMY Nominated Five For Fighting

In the two decades since Five for Fighting’s first major single, “Superman (It’s Not Easy),” hit the stratosphere, Five For Fighting (aka John Ondrasik), 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. A post 9-11 anthem, Ondrasik performed “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 has penned major hits, including the chart-topping “100 Years,” “The Riddle,” “Chances,” “World,” and “Easy Tonight,” which have earned tens of millions of streams and placed 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. 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.” For more information visit: www.fiveforfighting.com.

Five For Fighting's "Music Matters Challenge" for Music in Our Schools Month

Tying in with "Music In Our Schools Month,"GRAMMY® nominated John Ondrasik of Five For Fighting and The Tullman Family Office, through its operational philanthropic wing Tullman Community Ventures, announce the “Music Matters Challenge,” which launched on March 26, and is running through April 30; with the Grand Prize winners to be announced on May 14. The national online music challenge asks Americans to create an original rendition of the song “Let Music Fill My World,” a song recorded and written by Five For Fighting’s John Ondrasik and students of the Farragut Career Academy in Chicago, Illinois; while sharing their own story of a time where music greatly impacted them, changed their life, or moved them to where they remember that story today. The challenge is designed to spotlight the magic of music and bring awareness to the generational impact of removing music from schools. To enter the contest, visit: www.letmusicfillmyworld.com.

Let Music Fill My World

Let Music Fill My World

The “Music Matters Challenge” is hosted by “Let Music Fill My World,” an organization founded by The Tullman Family Office, and is on a mission to ensure that every child in America has access to music education in their schools. Two Grand Prize winners will be awarded – one for individual entries: $10,000 in cash, plus the opportunity to participate in selecting a music teacher for an under-resourced school to ...