John Rzeznik

Frontman of the band The Goo Goo Dolls, John Rzeznik was born John Joseph Theodore Rzeznik on December 5, 1965, in Buffalo, New York. Growing up in Buffalo, both of Rzeznik's parents died when he was a teenager. He was influenced by the classic rock and punk music tastes of his four older sisters, listening to The Kinks, The Ramones, and The Replacements. Co-founding the Goo Goo Dolls in 1986 with Robby Takac, Rzeznik's early work was heavily influenced by punk rock. However, it was the band's transition to a more mainstream rock sound that catapulted them to fame, particularly with the release of the hit single "Iris." This song, written by Rzeznik for the soundtrack of the film "City of Angels" (1998) remained on the Billboard charts for an impressive 18 weeks and became a defining moment in Rzeznik's career. Over the years, Rzeznik and the Goo Goo Dolls released numerous albums, receiving critical acclaim and achieving commercial success both in the United States and internationally. In 2008, Rzeznik was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. After years of struggling with the lifestyle of a rock star, John Rzeznik went into rehab to fight his alcoholism. In 2023, he celebrated nine years of sobriety on his Instagram account.