J.D. Fortune

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J.D. Fortune along with INXS
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J.D. Fortune along with INXS

J.D. Fortune is the stage name of Jason Dean Bennison (born September 1, 1973 in Mississauga, Ontario), a Canadian rock singer, winner of the 2005 CBS reality television series Rock Star: INXS, and the current singer of rock band INXS for their latest album Switch.

He was born in Mississauga, Ontario, and raised in Salt Springs, Pictou County, Nova Scotia. J.D. grew up listening to his grandfather sing and started performing at a very young age. He attended Cawthra Park Secondary School and after dropping out of high school and living in his car, was offered a job on CBS's TV show, Rock Star: INXS. Bennison is his estranged father’s name, and Fortune is his mother’s maiden name. He has a sister, Sarah-Jane, and a pug named Presley.

After several years in and out of the music world, he finally began to strike gold as an original musician. Fortune drew bigger and bigger audiences, ultimately performing at the Friendship Festival and at Toronto's Skydome in front of tens of thousands of people. He also works as an entertainer and pop songwriter for an Ontario TV show.

A vegetarian and a smoker, he has worked as a martial arts teacher, Elvis impersonator, and served in the Canadian military. For a time, before seeking the role with INXS, Fortune lived and co-owned a business in Oakville, Ontario.

Fortune, who is currently single, reported He had a brief relationship with Estella Warren after shooting the video clip for INXS's single Afterglow.

On Friday April 7, 2006, JD appeared on Australian radio station Triple M with fellow band member, Tim Farriss. Speaking to Triple M's morning show team, The Cage, JD and Tim spoke of how much acceptance they are receiving as the new INXS, especially in the United States and Canada. JD said that he had always dreamed of singing INXS songs in front of thousands of people where they all sing the words right back at him but he never thought he'd see the day. JD sang acoustic versions of their hit single Pretty Vegas and Mystify, an earlier INXS hit.

JD revealed that his first meeting with the brother of INXS's first lead singer, Michael Hutchence, who committed suicide, was initially a scary experience. "I met his brother Rhett in Australia a while ago and it wasn't pleasant. He was wearing a t-shirt saying, 'That's not my brother'. "His friend had a t-shirt on which said, 'Mock Star: INXS'. I had to say something, so was like, 'You don't know me, I don't know you. We're just humans.'

"Something changed after that and by the end of the night it was a different story. Rhett took the t-shirt off and bought another one. He hugged me and said he was sorry."

He also stated his thoughts on Reality TV "I think reality TV cheapens everything - I'm not a fan - but I tried to see past the audition process," JD said. "I went there because of Michael Hutchence and INXS.

"I want to pay homage to Michael, but I'm not trying to recapture the past. I'm trying to fill my own shoes with cheese and other things...like spoof."

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