• September 12, 1966
• Ben Folds received a percussion scholarship from the University of Miami, but didn't last long at the school. As he recounted to the San Diego Union-Tribune, "I spent maybe six months just running scales with a metronome like a freak. I suppose that did something."
• Before forming Ben Folds Five, Folds was a member of a group called Majosha, which issued a lone full-length recording, 1989's Shut Up and Listen to Majosha. Several compositions would appear on future Folds releases (albeit in re-recorded form), including "Emaline," "Video," and "Kalamazoo."
• Folds is a major fan of William Shatner, having invited the man best known as "Captain Kirk" to sing on the song "In Love" from Fear of Pop's lone album, Volume 1, while he produced an entire musical album of Shatner's, Has Been. The latter release also featured guest appearances by Joe Jackson, Henry Rollins, Aimee Mann, and Adrian Belew.
• One musical artist that does not seem to enjoy the talents of Ben Folds is Korn's Jonathan Davis. In an article in Spin magazine, Davis was quoted as saying, "All we want to do is bring heavy back into rock n' roll. Because goddamned Ben Folds Five sucks."
• In the title track from Ben Folds' debut solo album, Rockin' the Suburbs, the singer/pianist name checks such artists as Michael Jackson, Quiet Riot, and Jon Bon Jovi.
• Ben Folds has served as one of the judges on the NBC television program, The Sing-Off, since the show's premiere in 2009.

Comments

More Songfacts:

Hunger StrikeTemple of the Dog

"Hunger Strike" by Temple of the Dog features Chris Cornell and Eddie Vedder, and was Vedder's first music video.

LolaThe Kinks

When The Kinks released "Lola," most people didn't realize Lola was a man. "I was dancing with this beautiful blonde, then we went out into the daylight and I saw her stubble," Ray Davies said of the inspiration.

Opposites AttractPaula Abdul

MC Skat Kat was created for the remix of "Opposites Attract," which was released as the last single from Paula Abdul's Forever Your Girl album. The team that created the Kat also did a-ha's "Take On Me" video.

Whip ItDevo

Devo got the idea for their "Whip It" video from an article about a guy who owned a dude ranch and charged people to watch him remove his wife's clothes with a bullwhip.

JumpVan Halen

Van Halen's first #1 hit was "Jump," an unusual song for the band because the lead instrument was synthesizer, not guitar.

Santa Claus Is Coming To TownEddie Cantor

"Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" is the most performed holiday song of all time, according to a Top 30 list released by the performance rights organization ASCAP in December 2014.

Editor's Picks

Jack Tempchin - "Peaceful Easy Feeling"They're Playing My Song

When a waitress wouldn't take him home, Jack wrote what would become one of the Eagles most enduring hits.

Annie Haslam of RenaissanceSongwriter Interviews

The 5-octave voice of the classical rock band Renaissance, Annie is big on creative expression. In this talk, she covers Roy Wood, the history of the band, and where all the money went in the '70s.

Bryan AdamsSongwriter Interviews

What's the deal with "Summer of '69"? Bryan explains what the song is really about, and shares more of his songwriting insights.

Francis Rossi of Status QuoSongwriter Interviews

Doubt led to drive for Francis, who still isn't sure why one of Status Quo's biggest hits is so beloved.

Billy Steinberg - "Like A Virgin"They're Playing My Song

The first of Billy's five #1 hits was the song that propelled Madonna to stardom. You'd think that would get you a backstage pass, wouldn't you?

American Hits With Foreign TitlesSong Writing

What are the biggest US hits with French, Spanish (not "Rico Suave"), Italian, Scottish, Greek, and Japanese titles?