Brian Vander Ark

The smartest musicians formulate a Plan B for their careers — so when the chart hits dry up, they're not forced to become part of, say, a VH1 reality show. So although Brian Vander Ark's main band the Verve Pipe only does the occasional show now — a switch from the 1990s, when the college-java-joint-ready powerhouse created the ultimate high school-dance slow jam "The Freshmen" and the slow-boiling modern rocker "Photograph" — the comely crooner has expanded his resume significantly. Witness his movie roles in flicks such as Rock Star and two solo albums: Resurrection and the new live, unplugged CD Within Reach — the latter of which is available autographed with a personal message from Brian himself.