Now in their mid-to-late 20s, the boys in Hanson have not only left the bubblegum pop of ‘MMMBop’ behind — they’re dedicated to raising money for charities around the world.
Before every show on their current “Use Your Sole” tour, Taylor, Isaac and Zac lead fans on the “The Walk,” a barefoot, one-mile trek that raises money for AIDS, clean water and education charities, as well as providing shoes for the poor. The band donates $1 for every fan that participates in the walk, which is co-sponsored by TOMS Shoes. “We feel this walk is about setting the bar and we have the potential to make the greatest impact,” singer Taylor Hanson, 26, said at a recent walk at the University of Central Florida. “This walk is about the ability to reach out and be your own influencer.”
The trio has been working with TOMS, which donates a pair of shoes to African children for every pair it sells, since 2007 when they also released an album, ‘The Walk.’ In 2008, they released a coffee table book, ‘Take the Walk,’ which documented their efforts and included an EP of the same name.
Hanson is also set to release their as-yet-untitled eighth studio album in May, and are selling a five-song EP, ‘Stand Up, Stand Up,’ on their tour, which runs through Nov. 11.