Editing John Wozniak

{{short description|American musician|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Other people|John Wozniak}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2013}}

{{Infobox musical artist
| name = John Wozniak
| image = MarcyPlaygroundBandPic.jpg
| caption = John Wozniak (right) as part of [[Marcy Playground]]
| birth_name = John Keith Wozniak
| alias = <!-- doesn't include nicknames -->
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=y|1971|01|19}} 
| birth_place = [[Minneapolis, Minnesota]], United States
| instrument = {{hlist|Vocals|guitar}}
| background = solo_singer
| occupation = {{hlist|Musician|singer|songwriter}}
| years_active = 1990–current
| genre = {{hlist|[[Alternative rock]]|[[grunge]]|[[folk rock]]|[[indie rock]]|[[pop rock]]|[[psychedelic rock]]}}
| label = {{hlist|[[Capitol Records|Capitol]]|[[Reality Entertainment]]|[[Deep South Entertainment]]}}
| associated_acts = [[Marcy Playground]], Zog BogBean
}}

'''John Keith Wozniak''' (born January 19, 1971)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rose |first=Mike |date=January 19, 2023|title=Today's famous birthdays list for January 19, 2023 includes celebrities Dolly Parton, Jodie Sweetin|url=https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2023/01/todays-famous-birthdays-list-for-january-19-2023-includes-celebrities-dolly-parton-jodie-sweetin.html |access-date=January 19, 2023 |website=[[Cleveland.com]]}}</ref> is an American musician best known as the lead singer, guitarist and songwriter of the band [[Marcy Playground]].<ref>{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p200676/biography|pure_url=yes}}|title=Biography: Marcy Playground|last=Prato|first=Greg|publisher=[[All Media Guide|AMG]]|access-date=May 19, 2010}}</ref>

==Early life==

Wozniak was born and raised in [[Minneapolis]]. He learned how to play the guitar at the age of 14.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}}

== Career ==
Wozniak's first solo effort was ''[[Zog BogBean – From the Marcy Playground]]'' recorded in his own home in 1990. In 1996 he recorded his second solo album, ''[[Leaving Wonderland...in a fit of rage]]'' (Produced by Jeff Dawson) and while searching for a label to release it on, decided to call it a [[Marcy Playground]] album and include new songs recorded with the rest of the band.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Kaufman|first=Gil|title=Where Ya Been? Dream Wake Up, 'Sex' Burns Marcy Playground|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1528431/where-ya-been-dream-wake-up-sex-burns-marcy-playground/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140811053106/http://www.mtv.com/news/1528431/where-ya-been-dream-wake-up-sex-burns-marcy-playground/|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 11, 2014|access-date=2021-07-21|website=MTV News|language=en}}</ref>

Aside from influences such as [[Neil Young]], [[Paul Simon]], and [[Van Morrison]], an early influence in his life was his high school girlfriend from tenth grade until his freshman year in college, Sherry Fraser, of the band Two Ton Boa. She collaborated with Wozniak on Zog Bogbean, and on the song "Ancient Walls of Flowers" from Marcy Playground's self-titled album. The song "[[Sherry Fraser]]" was written about her.

Wozniak moved to [[Great Neck, New York|Great Neck]], [[Long Island]], [[New York (state)|New York]], in 1994 in order to collaborate with Jared Kotler, a multi-instrumentalist/music producer. Wozniak had written two albums worth of material and began recording what would become the eponymous [[Marcy Playground (album)|''Marcy Playground'']] recordings at Sabella Recording Studio in [[Roslyn Heights, New York]]. More recording sessions followed with hiring [[Dylan Keefe]] as the band's bass player. Over two albums of material were recorded at Sebella by engineer Ken Goia, and these recordings brought the band to the attention of [[Capitol Records]]. The band was soon signed to Capitol and began a year-long series of club dates in New York City performing live in support of ''Marcy Playground''. The band then began a radio promotion tour of the U.S. following the release of the first single "Poppies".

Follow-up single "Sex and Candy" was released shortly afterward. This song became very popular, rising to a then-record 15 weeks at number one on the U.S. [[Modern Rock Tracks chart]].<ref>{{Cite web|last= |first=| place= Danbury, Connecticut |date=2009-02-23|title=Marcy Playground overdoses on 'Sex And Candy' |url=https://www.newstimes.com/news/article/Marcy-Playground-overdoses-on-Sex-And-Candy-110572.php |access-date=2021-07-21 |website= NewsTimes.com| publisher= The News-Times |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2012, "Sex and Candy" was named the fourth-best [[one-hit wonder]] of the 1990s by ''[[Rolling Stone]]''.<ref>{{Cite magazine|author= |date=2012-08-15|title=Readers' Poll: Your Favorite 1990s One-Hit Wonders |url= https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/readers-poll-your-favorite-1990s-one-hit-wonders-16951/|access-date=2021-07-21 |magazine= [[Rolling Stone]]| publisher= |language=en-US}}</ref> "Sex and Candy" has been covered by [[Maroon 5]], [[Prozak (rapper)|Prozak]], [[Slothrust]], and others.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Covers of Sex and Candy by Marcy Playground |url=https://www.whosampled.com/Marcy-Playground/Sex-and-Candy/covered/|access-date=2021-07-21|website=WhoSampled|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Maroon 5's "Sex and Candy" Cover Joins the Best & Worst Remakes of One-Hit Wonders — VIDEOS|url=https://www.bustle.com/articles/38254-maroon-5s-sex-and-candy-cover-joins-the-best-worst-remakes-of-one-hit-wonders|access-date=2021-07-21|website=Bustle|date=September 2, 2014 |language=en}}</ref>

Wozniak continues to regularly write, record and tour with Marcy Playground.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}}

== Other collaborations ==
* In 2003, Wozniak helped produce Canadian rock band [[Stabilo (band)|Stabilo's]] second album, recorded at John's studio, Mushroom Studios.
* Later that year, Wozniak would work with [[Jimi Haha]] of the band [[Jimmie's Chicken Shack]] to write the song "Paper Dolls". The song appeared on both bands' albums in 2004.<ref>{{Cite web| title=Life's a giggle for Chicken Shack's Jimi HaHa | date= 2001-08-09| first= Michael| last= Zitz |url= http://www.fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2001/082001/08092001/357006/printer_friendly |website= fredericksburg.com |archive-url= https://archive.today/20130124065005/http://www.fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2001/082001/08092001/357006/printer_friendly|url-status= dead |archive-date= 2013-01-24|access-date=2022-06-02}}</ref>
* In 2006, Wozniak teamed up with Canadian hit-maker [[Daniel Powter]] ("[[Bad Day (Daniel Powter song)|Bad Day]]") amongst other musicians to add new content to ''[[Leaving Wonderland...in a Fit of Rage]]'', the solo album turned Marcy Playground album.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Marcy Playground}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Wozniak, John}}
[[Category:American rock singers]]
[[Category:American rock songwriters]]
[[Category:1971 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American male singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:Musicians from Minneapolis]]
[[Category:Marcy Playground members]]
[[Category:American people of Polish descent]]
[[Category:American people of Czech descent]]
[[Category:Singer-songwriters from Minnesota]]
[[Category:21st-century American singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:21st-century American male singers]]