Oh boy. If there is something that I try to keep secret but do a really bad job at, it is my love for the band Hanson. Yes, you may remember them as the long-haired, mmmbopping brother musicians of the late nineties, but I have come to love them for the semi-long haired, still mmmbopping, yet mature songwriting, indie music-making, and ‘make-a-difference in the world’ musicians that they have become…among other things.

 

Musical preferences aside, these guys are already huge social activists for their own project, Take the Walk; they are raising funds one mile at a time for five causes facing great challenges in Africa (I’m happy to report that I’ve taken the walk twice now). But now, they are doing even more.

 

Overwhelmed by the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Hanson is momentarily turning their focus and working to raise funds for the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. Beginning today and throughout the month of April, Hanson will donate iTunes proceeds from their new single “Give a Little” (remixes and music videos too) to the Red Cross.   

 

And as if that wasn’t enough, the guys are responsible for coordinating SXSW4JAPAN, an immense music project that started March 11th in Austin TX during the South By Southwest (SXSW) music festival. The flagship event, a 12-hour live telecast to galvanize support for the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, was pulled together in less than 48 hours, recruiting 40 artists performing more than 60 songs, and was viewed by people in 149 countries.

 

The resulting audio-recording of that concert has been made available for purchase today on iTunes and Amazon, with proceeds again benefitting Red Cross relief efforts. The album features over 40 exclusive performances, and you can even buy most of the tracks individually.

 

Taylor Hanson says "In special instances music has the ability to inspire genuine action toward a worthy cause at a time of great need. We are proud to be a part of the immense collection of artists contributing to SXSW4JAPAN, and thrilled that Give A Little has a chance to live up to its title and inspire people to give what they can to help those in Japan still struggling in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami."

 

Pretty neat, huh? As you can see, I could go on and on about their generosity (and their music…but you got off the hook easy this time), or you can read more about it here from their website:)

 

Okay, so my ‘not so secret’ secret love of Hanson may not give me a lot of initial street cred, but supporting the Red Cross through these downloads is going to make a world of difference down the street, across the country and around the world.

 

So even if you’re a little hesitant to jump aboard the MMMbop Bandwagon again, I highly encourage you to check out these downloads. Not only will the music be a great addition to your iPod, but your donation will be a great addition to the lifesaving efforts of the Red Cross Relief effort.

 

Lindsey