Hawk Nelson

Infobox musical artist
Name = Hawk Nelson

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Origin = Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
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Genre = Pop punk Christian punk
alternative rock
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Years_active = 2003 - present
Label = Tooth & Nail Records BEC Records
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URL = http://www.hawknelson.com/
Current_members = Jason Dunn Jonathan Steingard Daniel Biro Justin Benner
Past_members = Davin Clark Matt "Matty" Paige Aaron "Skwid" Tosti
Notable_instruments =

Hawk Nelson is a Christian band hailing from Peterborough, Ontario. The band has become popular in the Christian music scene and was voted "Favorite New Artist" by CCM Magazine in their February 2006 "Reader's Choice Awards".

Biography

The band played independently in Peterborough, Ontario for a few years before they 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, 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", and they recorded a song named "Bring 'Em Out" for the 2005 motion picture "Yours, Mine and Ours". This song and another hit song "The Show" were 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.

The band released their second studio album, "Smile, It's the End of the World", on April 4, 2006. This album was also co-written by Trevor McNevan (Thousand Foot Krutch). The album won a GMA Canada Covenant Award for "Modern Rock/Alternative Album of the Year" in 2006.cite web |url = http://www.gmacanada.ca/go/site/awards/C91/|title = GMACanada.com - 28th Annual Covenant Award Winners] . 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.cite web |url=http://www.radioandrecords.com/Formats/Charts/YearEnd/06/Christian_CHR_songs.asp |title=R&R – Top Christian CHR Songs |publisher=R&R |accessdate=2008-07-17] 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, Hawk Nelson performed at Winter Jam with a wide 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 ( [http://www.killerbandphotos.com/hawk_nelson_punk_pop/index.html Green Tee Show Photos] .

The band performed in 2007 at the Rock the Desert concert in Midland, Texas, Rock the Light on September 1, 2007 in Kansas City, Missouri, as well as Rock the Universe in Universal Studios Florida on September 7, 2007.

In 2007 Hawk Nelson also performed with Natalie Grant, Ayiesha Woods, KJ-52, Chad Eastham, Max and Jenna Lucado, Laura Wilkinson and the rest of the team on "The Revolve Tour 2007: Inside Out!"they are scheduled to be at the Revolve Tour 2008.

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 newest album, "Hawk Nelson Is My Friend", debuted on April 1 2008. Co-written by Trevor McNevan (Thousand Foot Krutch) and others such as Raine Maida (Our Lady Peace) and Richard Marx.

The band also contributed in 2008 a cover of Don't You Forget About Me, originally by Simple Minds, off the ep, "Don't You Forget About Me: The Covers" EP.

The band has recently finished their headlining Green T Tour, which also featured Capital Lights and Run Kid Run ( [http://www.killerbandphotos.com/hawk_nelson_punk_pop/index.html Green Tee Stage Show Photos] ). They will be heading out for another Faith Nights Baseball Tour this Summer.

Members

Current members

*Jason Dunn - lead vocals, piano (2003-present):He was born in Peterborough, Ontario, and now lives in Minneapolis, MN.
*Daniel Biro - bass, backing vocals (2003-present):He hails from Barrie, Ontario, and now lives in Franklin, TN.
*Jonathan Steingard - guitar, backing vocals (2004-present):Jonathan released a solo album called Fox Run.
*Justin Benner - drums (2008-present):Justin was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and now lives in Nashville, TN.

Past members

*Davin 'Dave' Clark - guitar (2003-2004)
*Matt 'Matty' Paige - drums (2003-2005)
*Aaron 'Skwid' Tosti - drums (2005-2007)

Discography

Albums

EPs

Videos

*"The Grand Introduction" ("Saturday Rock Action", 2003)
*"California" ("Letters to the President", 2004) [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIDn4e3fWd0]
*"Every Little Thing" ("Letters to the President", 2004) [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rGk1Km-M5M]
*"From Underneath" ("Letters to the President", 2004) [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqvWcK-8Mxw]
*"Letters to the President" ("Letters to the President", 2005) [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0N8Btb5X85g]
*"Bring 'Em Out (live, featuring Drake Bell)" ("Soundtrack: Yours, Mine and Ours", 2005) [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDlvMoT5m4U]
*"The One Thing I Have Left" ("Smile, It's the End of the World", 2006) [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWwI2Ix71rk]
*"Zero" ("Smile, It's the End of the World", 2007) [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geurpRYXqoA]
*"Friend Like That" ("Hawk Nelson Is My Friend", 2008) [http://youtube.com/watch?v=P3aafwKFjUw]

Trivia

*In an interview [http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/interviews/HawkNelson2005.asp] , Jason Dunn, the band's frontman, revealed the meaning of the band's name. He said that when he was about 14 years old, he played the video game 2 Xtreme on the Sony PlayStation. It required the player to create a name for the character. He got the first name from Tony Hawk. "Nelson" he got from a boot repair store in his hometown: "Nelson Boot Repair".
*Prior to the formation of Hawk Nelson, Dunn, Clark, and Paige had formed the Peterborough-based group called "Swish", while Biro sang lead vocals in a four-piece group called the "Cheese Monkeys from Planet Nine" from Barrie, Ontario.
*In 2006, Hawk Nelson won Best Artist in "Ignite Your Faith" Magazine's "Golden Ear Awards". Jason Dunn also won best male vocalist, and "Letters to the President" won the #3 spot in the Best Song category. [http://www.christianitytoday.com/cl/2006/002/19.38.html]
*Hawk Nelson's song "The Show" was featured in the game Thrillville in 2006.
*Hawk Nelson plays the party band for the film Yours, Mine and Ours (2005).
*Jason's dad and Davin's dad were in a band together in high school.
*Former guitarist Davin Clark went on to become a police officer.
*Jason and Trevor McNevan (lead singer of both Thousand Foot Krutch as well as FM Static) grew up in the same church.
*Hawk Nelson's "Bring 'Em Out" is the featured song in the whirling frat party scene of the motion picture, College (2008)

Awards

;GMA Canada Covenant Awards
* "Modern Rock/Alternative Album Of The Year", 2006 ("Smile, It's the End of the World")

References

External links

www.myspace.com/HNnumber1fans
* [http://www.hawknelson.com/ Hawk Nelson's Official Website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/hawknelsononline Hawk Nelson's MySpace]
* [http://www.purevolume.com/hawknelson Hawk Nelson's PureVolume]
* [http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=187965345 Hawk Nelson's Podcast] on iTunes
* [http://www.hawknelson.foros.ws Hawk Nelson Fanzone] - Fan Site in Spanish (Foro de Hawk Nelson en ESPAÑOL)
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9b8WBiNMkJE An Interview with Jason Dunn]
* [http://www.roxwel.com/player/hawknelsontheonethingihaveleftartistcommentary.html "The One Thing I Have Left" artist commentary]
*http://www.hearitfirst.com/winterjam
* [http://www.wespreadtheword.net/musicnewsarticles/hawknelsontakesfansouttotheballgame.html Hawk Nelson Takes Fans Out To The Ballgame!]
* [http://www.jarviedigital.com/projects/concerts/Hawk-f/ Amazing Green T Tour Photos]
* [http://www.killerbandphotos.com/hawk_nelson_punk_pop/index.html Stage Show and Individual Action Photos - Green Tee Tour]