Ben Folds is a native of Winston-Salem, North Carolina who got his start playing in small groups in the 1980s and 1990s. He began to gain recognition when he was the pianist and frontman of his group the Ben Folds Five, a rock trio. The group was active from 1993 until 2000, then broke up, only to reunite from 2011 until 2013. He has recorded extensively as a solo artist, releasing his most recent album, “What Matters Most,” in 2023.
He enjoys collaborating with unlikely partners including William Shatner and authors Neil Gaiman and Nick Hornby, as well as musicians “Weird Al” Yankovic and Regina Spektor. He is the artistic advisor to the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., a post he has held since 2017. He is the first such consultant.
Given his penchant for unusual work, it isn’t surprising he often performs his music using uncommon techniques for the genres of pop and rock such as including a capella groups and symphony orchestras.
He has also provided music for the movies, contributing to the soundtracks of “Over the Hedge” and “Hoodwinked.” A review notes:
“Ben’s multi-genre abilities span the musical spectrum and were fully displayed . . .”
Ben Folds will be at the Mt. Baker Theatre in Bellingham on September 28. When performances like this are planned, organizers often use poster printing to publicize them.