Hawk Nelson is a Christian rock band from Peterborough, Ontario. The band has become very popular in the Christian music scene and was voted "Favorite New Artist" by CCM Magazine in their February 2006 Reader's Choice Awards. In 2006 Hawk Nelson won a #1 spot on VH1's top 20 video countdown with "The One Thing I Have Left" music video.
Biography
editPrior to the formation of Hawk Nelson, Dunn, Clark, and Paige had formed the Peterborough-based group called Swish (they also used the name Reason Being briefly), while Biro sang lead vocals in a four-piece group called the Cheese Monkeys from Planet Nine from Barrie, Ontario.
After the band formed, they played and toured independently in Ontario, Canada, before being signed with Tooth & Nail Records, largely on the recommendation of Trevor McNevan, the lead singer of fellow Tooth & Nail band Thousand Foot Krutch. McNevan, also from Peterborough, Ontario, is credited with discovering the band. In July 2004, Hawk Nelson released their major label debut Letters to the President. It was produced by Aaron Sprinkle and McNevan, who also co-wrote the album's fourteen songs. He has also appeared on some of the band's songs, as well as in their video for the song "California".
The band has achieved some success in the mainstream as well. They portrayed The Who on an episode of the NBC drama American Dreams,[1] and they recorded a song named "Bring 'Em Out" for the 2005 motion picture Yours, Mine and Ours featuring Drake Bell. This song and another hit song "The Show" were both used on Sunday Night Football commercials. "Things We Go Through" from Letters to the President was also featured in Yours, Mine and Ours.
In October 2005, the band re-released Letters to the President, with new material including their cover of The Who's "My Generation", three acoustic versions of some of their hits, and a limited edition cover. Hawk Nelson plays the party band for the film Yours, Mine and Ours (2005). Their songs "The Show" and "Something on my Mind" were featured in the game Thrillville in 2006.
The band released their second studio album, Smile, It's the End of the World, on April 4, 2006. The album was also co-written by Trevor McNevan of Thousand Foot Krutch. The album won a GMA Canada Covenant Award for "Modern Rock/Alternative Album of the Year" in 2006.[2] The album's first single, "Everything You Ever Wanted", went on to hit #1 for 9 weeks on the R&R Christian CHR chart, and was the fourth most-played song of 2006.[3] The band spent the summer of 2006 touring the major Christian music festivals, and also took part in Jeremy Camp's Beyond Measure tour. Hawk Nelson released a three-track Christmas EP titled Gloria on November 21, 2006, and in winter of that year they toured with TobyMac's Winter Wonder Slam tour along with The Afters, Family Force 5, and Ayiesha Woods.
Bulletproof Records and producer Ralph Sall have assembled the compilation Charlotte's Web: Music Inspired By The Motion Picture featuring music by Christian artists including Hawk Nelson, Amy Grant, and Billy Ray Cyrus, which was released December 12, 2006. In addition, Bob Carlisle, Leigh Nash (Sixpence None The Richer), and The Send have all contributed exclusive tracks.
Hawk Nelson performed in 2006 on the Fringe Stage at Creation Festival Northwest, then again on the main stage at Creation in 2007. They performed sometime between July 25-July 28, 2007, at Creation Festival Northwest on the Main Stage, and they played again on the Fringe Stage at Creation Festival Northeast sometime between June 27-June 30, 2007. In 2007 (and again in 2009), Hawk Nelson performed at Winter Jam with a variety of other Christian bands, which were Newsong, Jeremy Camp, Steven Curtis Chapman, Sanctus Real, and Britt Nicole. Also, Hawk Nelson toured with MxPx, Run Kid Run, Project 86, The Fold, and The Classic Crime on the Tooth and Nail Tour (Green Tee Show Photos.
Aaron Tosti left the band to pursue other musical ventures and Justin Benner replaced him on the drums. Justin had toured with Hawk Nelson before with The Send.
Hawk Nelson's third full album, Hawk Nelson Is My Friend was released on April 1, 2008, and was co-written by Trevor McNevan of Thousand Foot Krutch, Raine Maida of Our Lady Peace and Richard Marx
In 2008 the band also contributed a cover of "Don't You (Forget About Me)", originally by Simple Minds, off the Don't You Forget About Me: The Covers EP.
The band headlined their own tour, the Green T Tour, which also featured Capital Lights and Run Kid Run (Green Tee Stage Show Photos). They headed out for another Faith Nights Baseball Tour this Summer.
Hawk Nelson was nominated for a Grammy for Best Recording Package, for their Hawk Nelson Is My Friend album.
Hawk Nelson is involved in a campaign called the One Little Miracle Campaign pairing with Tom's Shoes and the Ronald McDonald House.
In 2009, they were on the Winterjam tour [Winter 2009]and the Rock and Worship Road Show Tour [Spring 2009].
The band has recently toured with Skillet from October through December on their Awake and Alive Tour along with Decyfer Down and The Letter Black.
On July 21 Hawk Nelson released their second single from Live Life Loud called "The Meaning Of Life", and on August 8, their song "Alive" began to be played on Christian Radio.[4]
They released their newest album, Live Life Loud on September 22, 2009, and is now available on iTunes, Zune Marketplace,Amazon MP3, and stores everywhere. The band is currently in the studio recording an acoustic record of past favorite songs.[5]
Members
editCurrent members
edit- Jason Dunn - lead vocals, piano(since 2002)
- Daniel Biro - bass, backing vocals (since 2002)
- Jonathan Steingard - guitar, backing vocals (since 2004)
- Justin Benner - drums (since 2008)
Past members
editDiscography
editAlbums
edit| Release Date | Album Title | Record Label | RIAA Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Saturday Rock Action | Independently Released | |
| July 13, 2004 | Letters to the President | Tooth & Nail Records | |
| April 4, 2006 | Smile, It's the End of the World | Tooth & Nail Records | 450 000 copies |
| April 1, 2008 | Hawk Nelson Is My Friend | Tooth & Nail Records/BEC Recordings | 400 000 copies |
| September 22, 2009 | Live Life Loud | BEC Recordings/Tooth & Nail Records |
Awards
edit- 2006 Modern Rock/Alternative Album Of The Year: Smile, It's the End of the World[2][6]
- 2007 two nominations: Modern Rock/Alternative Song Of The Year: "The One Thing I Have Left", and Recorded Song Of The Year: "Everything You Ever Wanted"
- 2008 two nominations: Group Of The Year, and Modern Rock/Alternative Album Of The Year: Hawk Nelson Is My Friend
- 2009 Modern Rock/Alternative Song Of The Year: "Live Life Loud"[7]
- 2009 nominee, Recorded Music Packaging: Hawk Nelson Is My Friend
- Golden Ear Music Awards (Ignite Your Faith Magazine)
- 2006 two wins: Best Band, and Best Male Vocalist: Jason Dunn[8]
- 2009 nominee, Best Recording Package: Hawk Nelson Is My Friend
- 2007 nominee, Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album Of The Year: Smile, It's the End of the World
- VH1
- 2006 #1 spot on VH1's top 20 video countdown with "The One Thing I Have Left" music video.
References
edit- ^ News at Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved 2009-11-27.
- ^ a b "GMA Canada - 28th Annual Covenant Award Winners".
- ^ "R&R – Top Christian CHR Songs". R&R. Retrieved 2008-07-17.
- ^ ChristianRock.net What's New
- ^ [1]
- ^ Hawk Nelson also received 2006 GMAC nominations for Group Of The Year, and Album Of The Year: Smile, It's the End of the World. GMAC 2006 Covenant Award Nominees. Retrieved 2008-11-11.
- ^ Hawk Nelson also received a 2009 GMAC nomination for Group Of The Year. GMAC 2009 Covenant Award Nominees. Retrieved 2009-11-28.
- ^ Hawk Nelson placed third in Best Song Of The Year: "Letters to the President" The Second Annual Golden Ear Music Awards, Christianity Today (2006). Retrieved 2009-11-28.