Benjamin Scott Folds is the founder of Ben Folds Five, and is the title member. Ben grew up in Winston-Salem, NC, in the US. This is near Chapel Hill, NC. His family got a piano when he was 9 years old. Long before that though, Ben was singing along to songs and into a tape recorder. His mother is a teacher. His father is a carpenter, and handled the whole operation of soundproofing Ben's house for the recording of Whatever and Ever Amen.
When Ben graduated from high school, he wrote the hit Underground. He attended the University of Miami on a scholarship and was a music major, but dropped out with one credit left until graduation. The drums was his main instrument at the time, but he dumped his drum set over a bridge when he dropped out, and turned his attention to other instruments, like the piano. He then moved to Nashville, and got a songwriting contract with Sony. It was a good contract and he was doing well, but he wasn't happy. He didn't know if he wanted to be a songwriter for the rest of his life. So, he moved back to North Carolina, to Chapel Hill. He had the idea for Ben Folds Five, but no one understood it, or wanted to be a part of it. In fact, it wouldn't be until 1994 when he met Darren Jessee and Robert Sledge, the first people to understand Ben's idea.
One thing that Ben regrets is what happened in his adolescence. He was really embarrassed about playing the piano and liking music, so he didn't bother to write down all the melodies going around in his head. Melodies that could have been turned into hits today.
Ben also has an older brother named Chuck, short for Charles. Chuck is in a band too, where he plays bass. They are a small indy band named Bus Stop. Chuck is married to his wife Rachel.
Ben is the pianist and lead vocalist for Ben Folds Five. He plays many instruments as well, including guitar, bass, drums, clarinet, and melodica. He is also the main songwriter. Along with Underground, he was written Jackson Cannery, Philosophy, Julianne, Where's Summer B?, Sports and Wine, Uncle Walter, Video, Boxing, One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces, Fair, Selfless Cold and Composed, Cigarette, Steven's Last Night In Town, Battle of Who Could Care Less, Missing the War, Evaporated, Eddie Walker, Emaline, Dick Holster, Tom and Mary, Narcolepsy, Don't Change Your Plans, Mess, Hospital Song, Army, Your Redneck Past, Regrets, and Jane. He also co-wrote Alice Childress, The Last Polka, Brick, Song For the Dumped, Kate, For Those of Y'all Who Wear Fanny Packs, Bad Idea, The Ultimate Sacrifice, and Satan is My Master. He released a solo project in Fall/Winter 1998 (depending on what country you live in) called Fear of Pop: Volume 1, which featured unconventional music, spoken-word vocals, and special guests like William Shatner.. He was born on September 12, 1966.
Ben married Anna Goodman when he was 20, in 1986 or 1987. Fans will know Anna as the co-writer of such songs as Alice Childress, The Last Polka, Smoke, Kate, and Lullaby. The marriage lasted about five years, but they divorced in 1991 or 1992. Ben met Kate Rosen, daughter of Frank Rosen, in December 1995. She was part of Ben Folds Five's lighting crew at the time. They got married in December 1996, and the two of them supposedly were tied together and bungee jumped off a bridge at the wedding. Sadly, they separated in December 1997, and soon divorced. At a party in Australia in early 1998, Ben met a woman named Frally Hynes. They fell in love and married at a very small ceremony on May 20, 1999. The ceremony was attended only by Ben, Frally, her brother, and the religious leader. On July 23 and 24 1999, they became parents to twins, Louis Frances and Gracie Scott Folds on the dates respectively. When the band isn't touring, the four of them live full-time in Adelaide, Australia.
