Contact us 1.800.698.2536
Search by Speaker Name or Topic

John Rzeznik

Founding Member of The Goo Goo Dolls

John Rzeznik
Travels From Travels From:
Please Contact
Speaking Fee Speaking Fee:
Live Event: Please Contact
Virtual Event: $50,000 - $100,000
More Fee Info
Categories Categories:
Categories Categories:
Addiction & Recovery, Celebrity, Mental Health, Music, Television & Film
REQUEST BOOKING INFORMATION

John Rzeznik Biography

John Joseph Theodore Rzeznikis an American songwriter, lead guitarist, vocalist and producer. He is best known as the frontman of rock band the Goo Goo Dolls, of whom he is a founding member and with whom he has recorded nine studio albums.

Rzeznik was born in Buffalo, New York, the youngest of five children. Both of Rzeznik's parents were musicians, playing the clarinet and flute. Rzeznik's father died from diabetic coma at the age of fifty-five when Rzeznik was sixteen years old. Six months later his mother died from a sudden heart attack. Having lost both of his parents, he was brought up by his four older sisters. It was during this period and while attending high school that Rzeznik began playing the guitar.

In 1986, he formed the band that became the Goo Goo Dolls with Robby Takac. Previously John had been in a band with Takac's cousin, called The Beaumonts, sometimes referred to as "The Sex Maggots". As legend has it, the band was forced to find a new moniker when a club owner refused to put the old name on his marquee. So the boys flipped through a copy of True Detective magazine and settled on a change after finding an advertisement for a “Goo Goo Doll.”

In the early days of The Goo Goo Dolls, scrounged for gigs and looked for part-time work in the band’s hometown of Buffalo, N.Y., with Robby as the frontman (Rzeznik gradually becoming the frontman over the next few albums, as each new album contained more songs sung by Rzeznik than the last). At one point Rzeznik ended up selling hot dogs and roasted peanuts at a concession stand.

The Goo Goo Dolls’ rise began a few months after the release of the group’s fifth album, “A Boy Named Goo” (1995), when a Los Angeles radio station placed the single “Name” on heavy rotation. With this increased exposure, the song vaulted into the national Top Five, and the album went double platinum. The upward climb continued with the release of perhaps the band's most well-known song "Iris," a stirring ballad penned by Rzeznik on the "City of Angels" film soundtrack, became a huge hit. "Dizzy Up the Girl," the band’s sixth album, was then released, and it's a monster. “Dizzy” would eventually sell more than 4 million copies, and yield five hit singles. “Iris” was ranked No. 1 on Billboard’s Top 100 Pop Songs 1992-2012 chart.

On June 19, 2008, Rzeznik was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and was awarded the Hal David Starlight award.

Rzeznik is well known for his distinctive and unusual guitar tunings. Many of his newer songs, particularly the more acoustic-oriented ones, are performed with his guitars tuned to an open chord with several of the strings tuned to the same note but in different octaves. Rzeznik believes that writing is not just an inspirational thing but that writing music is "ninety nine percent perspiration." He says that when writing a song, he often "runs tape and screws around with stuff," and that his songs are often both biographical and autobiographical.

Rzeznik lives with his wife, Melina, and daughter in New Jersey. He is sober, attends AA meetings, and still produces music. The newest Goo Goo Dolls album was released in 2021. HE also hosts Chorus & Verse on Sirius XM.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on John Rzeznik and other top speakers and celebrities.

BOOK John Rzeznik

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 07/05/2024.

John Rzeznik Videos

  • The First Time: John Rzeznik of The Goo Goo Dolls
    The First Time: John Rzeznik of The Goo Goo Dolls
    John Rzeznik of The Goo Goo Dolls is a late night grocery shopper. Not only does he get to be alone at that time but he gets to listen to his music...
  • GOO GOO DOLLS Talks The Feeling of Being On Stage
    GOO GOO DOLLS Talks The Feeling of Being On Stage
    "I can't sing in anyone's voice but my own" - beautiful words from Goo Goo Dolls!
  • John Rzeznik Interview The X Factor
    John Rzeznik Interview "The X Factor"
    Goo Goo Dolla John Rzeznik interview at "The X Factor"
See All Videos »

FAQs on booking John Rzeznik

  • How do I book John Rzeznik to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like John Rzeznik for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for John Rzeznik, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for John Rzeznik or any other speaker of your choice.

  • What are the speaker fees for John Rzeznik

    Speaking fees for John Rzeznik, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book John Rzeznik are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire John Rzeznik, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

  • What topics does John Rzeznik speak about?

    John Rzeznik is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Addiction & Recovery, Celebrity, Mental Health, Music, Television & Film.

  • Where does John Rzeznik travel from?

    John Rzeznik generally travels from an undisclosed location, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.

  • Who is John Rzeznik’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like John Rzeznik for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book John Rzeznik for your next private or corporate function.

  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host John Rzeznik or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

John Rzeznik is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book John Rzeznik for your event is available upon request. John Rzeznik generally travels from and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Robin Zander, Remedy Drive, Chad Smith, Share Ross and Art Alexakis. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling John Rzeznik for an upcoming live or virtual event.

BOOK John Rzeznik

Tell us about your event!

During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.

  • Customized Service

    Our agents find the right fit for your event

  • Unparalleled Database

    Full access to all speakers & celebrities

  • One Stop Shopping

    A reliable and unbiased point of contact

  • Logistics Management

    Your personal Logistics Manager who takes care of all event details

Need Quick Answers?

We are happy to help! Call us to speak with a booking agent about your event or specific speaker request.

Sarah Miller
phone   1.800.698.2536
Our celebrity booking agents can:

  • Gauge interest and check availability for speaking engagements, appearances or corporate events

  • Provide you with the speaking fee to book John Rzeznik or other celebrity appearance fees

  • Give you personal recommendations for the best keynote speakers or celebrities

  • Assist you with any questions you have throughout the talent booking process

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

TOP