Ben Folds is an American singer-songwriter, pianist and recording artist from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, born in 1966. He is associated with alternative rock, indie pop, indie rock, piano rock, pop and rock, and his work is also described through the broader singer-songwriter tradition.

Early career

Folds begins his musical career in the 1980s, first playing bass and piano in a group called the Caroliners with Millard Powers between 1985 and 1987. He also works as a session drummer in Nashville. His early band activity includes Majosha, where he plays bass, and Pots & Pans, where he appears as a pianist. He later forms part of the trio Ben Folds Five, with Robert Sledge on bass and Darren Jessee on drums.

Ben Folds Five and solo work

Folds becomes widely known as the frontman and pianist of Ben Folds Five and also builds a solo career. His first release under the Fear of Pop name is Fear of Pop: Volume 1, a set of spoken-word and instrumental pieces issued while Ben Folds Five is still active. His first commonly treated solo album is Rockin' the Suburbs, on which he plays all the instruments himself. He follows this with the live album Ben Folds Live and the EPs Speed Graphic, Sunny 16 and Super D. He later releases Songs for Silverman, then Way to Normal.

Collaborations and associated acts

Folds records and performs with several other acts, including The Bens, Fear of Pop, Majosha and Pots & Pans. The Bens is formed with Ben Kweller and Ben Lee for an Australian tour, and the trio records a four-track EP of the same name. Folds also works with William Shatner, producing and arranging the album Has Been, and earlier collaborating with him on songs for Fear of Pop. He produces Amanda Palmer's solo album, and since 2008 he collaborates with novelist Nick Hornby, with Folds writing the music and Hornby writing the lyrics.

Style and live performance

His piano playing is a central part of his reputation, and his music combines singer-songwriter writing with jazz and power rock elements. His songs are often compared with the work of Joe Jackson, Todd Rundgren and Elton John. Folds is also known for lyrics that mix wit with themes of depression, melancholy and self-conflict. On stage, he often appears alone with piano and invites audience participation, including vocal backing parts and improvised contributions. His concerts regularly include songs such as “Philosophy”, “One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces” and “Army”. He also performs the improvised “Rock This Bitch” segment at some shows.

Film, orchestral and other projects

Folds writes songs for film soundtracks, including “Lonely Christmas Eve” for How the Grinch Stole Christmas! and a version of the Beatles’ “Golden Slumbers” for I Am Sam. He also writes all the songs for Over the Hedge, including “Still”. He performs with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and a DVD of the West Australian performance is released. He also appears in a Live at MySpace concert from his Nashville studio, which is later issued on DVD.

Labels and wider activity

Folds supports independent music and creates his own label, Attacked By Plastic, while also working in promotion for independent record stores. The labels associated with his career include ImaVeePee Records and Free From the Man Songs, LLC. He lives in Nashville and tours in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, Japan and Australia.

Media and television

Folds appears as a judge on NBC's The Sing-Off, where he offers comments on a cappella performances and also performs with the finalists. He is later the subject of an internet mystery involving a pianist nicknamed “Merton”, and he responds to that with the song “Ode to Merton”.