About Me

So, how did it all start? To be honest, it started with a song. Songs have a way of creating lasting memories in our lives...and changing lives, too. I first discovered Five For Fighting back in 2005. I know, a lot of people were already familiar with Five For Fighting, especially after John Ondrasik's heartfelt performance at the Concert For New York City after 9/11. But, I was not one of them. By then, I had rarely listened to much radio...most of the music just didn't appeal to me. Instead, I enjoyed listening to the songs and artists of the past...I love the 70s and 80s! Little did I know, things were going to change BIG TIME for me!

The exact date escapes me, but I was watching the series finale of the TV show Jag. Toward the end of the episode, they played a song that immediately captured my attention. I was struck by how wonderful the song was...the lyrics and especially the singer. There was no information in the show's closing credits on the song or the artist performing it. So, I did a Google search based on the lyrics that I heard and my best guess on what the song's title could be. That song was 100 Years, and I discovered someone named Five For Fighting was the musical artist responsible for it.

I visited the official Five For Fighting website to learn about what I had been missing all this time. I discovered it was a lot! The music clips I found there were just amazing...and had me wanting to hear more! I proceeded to buy The Battle For Everything CD...which includes 100 Years...and America Town, with the other Five For Fighting hit, Superman. Listening to the songs on those albums blew my mind. I couldn't believe there was still someone who could write such poignant lyrics and beautiful music, not to mention perform them with such a unique and awesome voice! Needless to say, I was hooked!

In the weeks that followed, my interest in John Ondrasik and his music increased by leaps and bounds. Reading interviews and articles that I gleaned from the internet, my admiration for this amazing singer-songwriter grew, too. I heard that he actually read his own fan email, which I found hard to believe in this day and age of celebrities who have little time for such frivolities. I noticed on the official website, a little notation that read "Email John." It had been many, many years since I last wrote a fan letter to a celebrity. Sometimes, in return, I would just get a preprinted autographed photo...the rest of the time, nothing. But, I was so enamored by John's talent, that I figured, what the heck. I had nothing to lose, and who knows, maybe he WILL read my letter.

That evening, I was sitting at the computer, surfing the 'net...probably for Five For Fighting stuff...when I was startled to reality. "You've Got Mail!" Now, I'm not one to get a whole lot of personal email, and I certainly wasn't expecting anything that night. As I opened my mailbox, my heart skipped a beat and my mouth suddenly went dry. It was a reply from John...or, was it? My adrenaline pumping, I opened the email, and this is what I found:

thank you wynne, i'm stuck in the 70's as well...that's all the music i listen to...i appreciate the kind words, working on new stuff as we speak

take care,

j

I was stunned. I couldn't believe it! Not only did John READ my email, he actually took the time to RESPOND to it! Only then did I realize that John Ondrasik was indeed the real deal. Not only did he appreciate and understand how his fans felt about him and his music, he was humble and gracious enough to really show it. I read his email over and over again...and found myself drawing inspiration from this unexpected turn of events. John had cared enough to reply to my email...why didn't I care enough about myself and my own life? The lyrics of 100 Years made me think long and hard about how I really WAS letting life pass me by. The song was like the catalyst...John's email reply became the spark to get the ball rolling.

In the weeks and months that followed, I went to work reinventing myself. I decided to go on a diet kick, with the ultimate goal of losing 50 pounds. I figured I could lose the weight in a year...about the time Five For Fighting would be going on tour to promote the upcoming album. I wanted to meet John in person, and thank him for changing my life. After our initial email exchange, I continued to write to John. To my surprise, he would often reply to my emails, even to stuff that wasn't related to music, like his beloved UCLA Bruins. Well, it took me only 8 months to lose the 50 pounds, AND I did it my own way. When I emailed John to tell him about it, and thank him for inspiring me, his response was pure John. He acknowledged how music CAN make a difference in people's lives...but, noted that I DID do it myself!

Shortly thereafter, I discovered the wonders of MySpace. Five For Fighting has a music page there, and I joined the MySpace community to be a part of John's friends. I decided from the start that I would devote my personal profile page to supporting and promoting Five For Fighting. My new life made me feel more assertive and willing to trust meeting new people on the internet...something I had always balked at in the past. I quickly found other MySpace users who were equally big fans of Five For Fighting's music.

It was in September of 2006, while John was in the promotion stage for the newly released Two Lights album, that I found an opportunity to meet him even before his upcoming concert tour. Las Vegas was hosting Nina's Night Out, a charity event to raise money for the Rape Crisis Center of Southern Nevada. I found out that John would be performing at a concert for the benefit. At first, I wasn't really considering traveling all the way down there just for the show. But, as part of the event, there was also a cocktail party...and John was scheduled to actually BE there! It was a perfect opportunity to finally meet him in person! For me, it was a no-brainer...donate money for a worthy cause, and meet John Ondrasik and watch him in concert. After purchasing the event and airline tickets, and making my hotel reservations, I emailed John to let him know I was attending. He replied back that he was looking forward to meeting me.

I arrived at the cocktail party early, and was in the first group up in the elevator to The Ghostbar, located on the top floor of The Palms Hotel and Casino. It would be a good hour and a half wait for me before John made his grand entrance. He was accompanied by a local radio station guy, and after politely waiting for another fan to have a few minutes with John, I made my move. I walked up to him and introduced myself. There was a big smile and immediate recognition...John DID remember me from the emails! He told the radio station guy that I had to be his biggest fan...that I had more Five For Fighting stuff than HE had! I gave John a small gift that I had made for him that was greatly appreciated. I asked him if I could have a photo taken with him, which he gladly obliged. John also autographed an item for me...personalized, of course! The rest of the evening, I was on Cloud Nine. I watched as John mingled with the media folks, and then there was the concert afterwards. It was sheer joy watching John perform the songs that up to that point, I had only heard on his CDs. His stage presence, and the way he connected to the audience were a sight to behold. It was certainly a magical night...and, it had me wanting more.

My next opportunity to see John perform was two months later, during his fall concert tour to promote his Two Lights album. I bought tickets for his Seattle and Vancouver shows, and it would be the first time I would see him on stage as Five For Fighting with a backup band. Like before, I emailed John to let him know I would be attending the last two concerts of his tour. The Seattle concert was held at The Showbox Theater, and I got there early with a couple of friends. I was hoping to see John before the show, but in talking to the tour manager, I found out John was still at his hotel, nursing a cold. But, he would be there to perform. When Five For Fighting took the stage, I was standing right up front, just across from the piano. John got right into the first song World and, he sounded great! It was about halfway through the song when John looked up and we made eye contact. I was close enough to see the recognition on his face...and, he waved to me! What a thrill! The rest of the night was heavenly! John and the band were awesome! When I got home after the concert, I found out the bad news via MySpace...the Vancouver show was canceled! It seems John gave it his all in Seattle, and his voice just shut down afterwards. A disappointment, but I felt fortunate to have experienced what a real Five For Fighting concert was all about...simply like no other!

2007 would prove to be another memorable year for me. Five For Fighting was going on a spring concert tour, and I was hoping to catch another show. At first, I was only thinking of the one scheduled in Las Vegas. But, as I examined the tour itinerary, I began to see the possibilities. It wasn't hard for me to make my decision. A road trip...in essence, a Five For Fighting groupie road trip...to attend not one but FIVE shows! Bakersfield, Las Vegas, San Diego, Los Angeles and Salt Lake City! Traveling from one concert to another, following John like the loyal Five For Fighting fan that I've certainly become. I won't get into the details here, but you can read all about it at my Five For Fighting Fan Central blog site. You can relive not only my groupie road trip, but my other wonderful Five For Fighting experiences, too.

So, there you have it. My life has changed so much since I got that little bit of inspiration from John's song. But, things are still happening. After MySpace, I created the aforementioned blog site to document and share this amazing ride on the Five For Fighting train. When I found out that John's only active Five For Fighting fan site had folded, I decided to take it upon myself to construct my own. It just didn't seem right that someone with John's talent and abilities wouldn't have a fan site for people to visit and learn more about this amazing man. If you're a devoted fan or a brand new one, welcome to my website! And, if you're curious and just passing by, I invite you to hop onto the Five For Fighting train for a short ride. Who knows, you might find yourself on for the duration of this trip. And, like a lot of folks, I'm hoping it's a long and enchanting journey.