Hawk Nelson

Hawk Nelson is a Christian rock band hailing 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

The band 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, 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.Bassist Daniel Biro

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.title = GMA Canada - 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.title=R&R – Top Christian CHR Songs 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
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 Toms Shoes and the Ronald McDonald House.

In 2009, they were on the Winterjam tour 2009and the Rock and Worship Road Show Tour 2009.

The band is currently touring 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.

They released their newest album, Live Life Loud on September 22, 2009, and is now available on iTunes.

Members

Current members

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

Dave 'Davin' Clark - guitar (2002-2004)
Matt 'Matty' Paige - drums (2002-2005)
Aaron 'Skwid' Tosti - drums (2005-2007)

Discography

Albums

EPs

Singles

Songs on compilations

Videos

"California" (Letters to the President, 2004)
"Every Little Thing" (Letters to the President, 2004)
"From Underneath" (Letters to the President, 2004)
"Letters to the President" (Letters to the President, 2005)
"Bring 'Em Out (live, featuring Drake Bell)" (Soundtrack: Yours, Mine and Ours, 2005)
"The One Thing I Have Left" (''Smile, It's the End of the World, 2006)
"Zero" (''Smile, It's the End of the World, 2007)
"Friend Like That" (Hawk Nelson Is My Friend, 2008)
"Live Life Loud" (Live Life Loud, 2009)

Trivia

In an interview, 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 (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.
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.
Hawk Nelson's songs "The Show" and "Something on my Mind" were 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.
Jason and Trevor McNevan (lead singer of Thousand Foot Krutch as well as FM Static) grew up in the same church.
Jason's middle name is Michael. His middle name being Kevin is just a joke.

Awards

GMA Canada Covenant Awards

2006 Modern Rock/Alternative Album Of The Year: ''Smile, It's the End of the World
2007 nominee, Modern Rock/Alternative Song Of The Year: "The One Thing I Have Left"
2007 nominee, Recorded Song Of The Year: "Everything You Ever Wanted"
2008 nominee, Group Of The Year
2008 nominee, Modern Rock/Alternative Album Of The Year: Hawk Nelson Is My Friend
2009 nominee, Group Of The Year
2009 nominee, Modern Rock/Alternative Song Of The Year: "Live Life Loud"

GMA Dove Awards

2009 nominee, Recorded Music Packaging: Hawk Nelson Is My Friend

Golden Ear Music Awards

2006 nominee, Best Band: 1#
2006 nominee, Best Male Vocalist: 1# Jason Dunn
2006 nominee, Best Song Of The Year: 3# Letters to the President

Grammy Awards

2009 nominee, Best Recording Package: Hawk Nelson Is My Friend

Juno Awards

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.

Signed Music Artists

Biography