by Scott Schminky, Mechanicsburg, PA

This may sound patronizing, but I think of this moment often and consider it one of my most cherished… At the 2001 Singer Songwriter weekend, one of my most anticipated performances was by Five for Fighting. My favorite tune was “Superman,” a mostly unknown tune off the then current Americatown CD. I even brought the liner notes along to be autographed. I met John Ondrasik at the meet-and-greet area and had him sign my liner notes, he was genuinely surprised and grateful that I had already bought the CD. He was a very nice guy, too. This encounter and experience in itself was great. But what added to the experience was the fact that “Superman” became a song closely associated with the events of September 11, mere weeks after the Singer Songwriter weekend. Hearing John do “Superman” live on stage at Madison Square Garden was a truly touching moment. I reflected on the Singer Songwriter weekend and considered how this song had changed meanings in such a short period of time.