Joel Madden life and biography

Joel Madden is an American singer, record producer, actor, DJ, and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, best known as the lead vocalist for the pop punk band Good Charlotte.

Madden was born Joel Rueben Combs in Waldorf, Maryland. He has an identical twin brother, Benji Madden, who plays lead guitar in their band Good Charlotte. He also has an older brother named Josh and a younger sister named Sarah. Madden attended La Plata High School in La Plata, Maryland.

Madden's father abandoned the family when he was 16, causing them financial hardship. He took up various odd jobs as a teenager in high school to help his mother with the family's bills. One job he and his brother Benji took up was washing hair at a salon. While in his early twenties, Madden and his siblings changed their last name from Combs, his father's last name, to his mother's maiden name, Madden. He did so to distance himself from his father.

n the 2001 film Not Another Teen Movie, Joel and the other Good Charlotte members made a cameo as the band at the school's prom. He later had a cameo role in the 2004 film Fat Albert and in the 2006 film Material Girls with his brother Benji. He also had a guest apperence in the popular kids' show "The Naked Brothers Band," in which he joined the band for a performance.

Madden started a clothing line called MADE Clothing along with his brothers Benji and Josh. The line is now defunct. In early 2006 MADE Clothing became DCMA Collective. The line is owned by himself, his brothers Benji Madden, Josh Madden, and friend Tal Cooperman. The Madden brothers also front a production team called Dead Executives.

In November 2007, Nicole Richie and Madden created The Richie Madden Children's Foundation. The charity will create and promote an online registry to inspire the purchases of items for moms and their families in need. He is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. In 2010, with his brother, Madden contributed to "We Are the World 25 for Haiti," a remake of the song "We Are the World" by USA for Africa, written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie.

On March 7, 2010, Madden was a DJ for the 2010 Academy Awards. He was brought in as a DJ to 'fill the void' in between presenters and other produced parts of the show. The organizers of the Awards felt that there was too much lull in the show and wanted a DJ to play music to 'keep the energy in the building.'

Madden was also a judge for the 10th annual Independent Music Awards to support independent artists' careers.

Madden started dating Hilary Duff in 2004, when she was 17 years old and he was 25. In November 2006, after two and a half years, Madden and Duff broke up.

Madden started dating Nicole Richie in November 2006 soon after he and Hilary Duff broke up. They have two children: daughter Harlow Winter Kate Richie Madden (born January 11, 2008) and son Sparrow James Midnight Madden (born September 9,2009). The couple confirmed their engagement in February 2010, and married on December 11, 2010.

Discography:
Good Charlotte (2000)
The Young and the Hopeless (2002)
The Chronicles of Life and Death (2004)
Good Morning Revival (2007)
Cardiology (2010)

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