2.10: The Ripple — Taylor Hanson

By | May 15, 2019

Tulsa People

Taylor Hanson talks family, food access, Hop Jam and how writing music is a lot like building a business.

BY ANNA BENNETT

Today, a conversation with Taylor Hanson, one of Tulsa’s most beloved hometown boys.

Then, the hosts of The Middle of Everything present a summer camp survival guide.

So let’s talk, Tulsa.

That’s Taylor Hanson, and if you live in Tulsa or if you’re a fan of eponymous band Hanson, he needs no introduction. The band is comprised of brothers Isaac (guitar, bass, piano, vocals), Taylor (keyboards, piano, guitar, drums, vocals), and Zac (drums, piano, guitar, vocals). They started the band in 1992 when they were 11, 9 and 6, and skyrocketed to fame with MMMBop in 1997. Now, 27 years after the band’s founding, are still making music.

Part of the reason these brothers are so beloved in their hometown is because despite their massive international following, they remain deeply rooted here in Tulsa, working to make the community stronger.

Taylor Hanson started Food on the Move in 2014 inspired by the community-focused work of Edward Perkins, a former U.S. ambassador to South Africa. The mobile food project brings food trucks, fresh produce, cooking demonstrations, music, and health and social services to food deserts — economically strapped areas with limited access to nutritious food options.

From a Tulsa Voice article that focuses on FOTM: “Food On The Move is visionary because it deals with the problem of food access in a way that both meets an immediate need and asks anyone who’s paying attention to re-think the way our community lives, works and eats.”

In many ways, FOTM is the more connective tissue than an independent organ. Its strength is in the ways to bridges various nonprofit resources — while staying mobile and flexible. Currently, FOTM brings mobile food events to the Tulsa Community College Northeast Campus and EduRec once a month. The next event is Thursday, May 16 at TCC. The EduRec event was on May 14.

The program’s “pay as you can” policy aims to build a culture where a person who eats for free now will return in the future, able to pay a little extra.

You can visit foodonthemoveok.com for more information about events and volunteer opportunities. When we come back, Taylor talks craft beer and Hop Jam, plus the surprising ways a life making music has helped him become a better entrepreneur. But first, a quick word from our sponsors.

Welcome back to Tulsa Talks. I’m Anna Bennett.

Taylor Hanson knows a thing or two about success. And one thing he’s learned? What hits and what fades is often unpredictable, and your ability to be flexible — to be willing to reinvent — is crucial.

So in case you’ve been living under a rock, the 6th annual Hop Jam Beer and Music Festival is this Saturday, May 19. The festival has grown immensely since it began in 2014, and has evolved alongside Hanson Day (which, by the way, is now several days) as a destination for Hanson fans to gather from all over the world here in Tulsa.

Up next, Taylor shares what it was like to reinvent some old hits for Hanson’s newest album “String Theory.” But first, a special guest segment from the hosts of The Middle of Everything Podcast. Working moms Claire and Sarah are up next with their top tips for summer camp survival.

Last year, Hanson celebrated its 25th anniversary as a band. But as my conversation with Taylor Hanson made clear, he’s certainly not one to rest on his laurels. Or, to rest at all for that matter. Taylor gives a bit of backstory behind the band’s newest album, String Theory, which features both old songs and new, and brings in an entire orchestra to play alongside the Hanson brothers.

Outside of his creative and career life, Taylor just welcomed his sixth child with wife Natalie.

So, to recap, tomorrow, May 16, FOTM has an event at TCC Northeast; Friday, May 17, Hanson performs a concert with the Tulsa Symphony; and Sunday, May 19, is The Hop Jam, which Hanson is headlining. Meanwhile, Hanson Day, which is happening all weekend, features a variety of events for Hanson’s fan club members, who come from all over the world to celebrate the band.

Thanks so much for Listening to Tulsa Talks! If you enjoyed this episode, tell a friend about the show, and leave us a rating or review on iTunes, Google Play and Spotify.

Special shout out to iTunes user BlueJayCleaningBritt, who left us five stars and said, “Well produced podcast. Great content, great quality. I’m so glad a local publisher is creating stories about Tulsa/Tulsans”

Um, we’re so glad we get to share these stories with our listeners. Thanks for the great review, Britt!

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, @TulsaPeople, or head to our home on the web, TulsaPeople.com/podcast. There, you’ll find show notes and more info about our guests and topics.

Every episode, we play you out with some local music. Here is “Reaching For The Sky,” featuring the vocals of Taylor Hanson, from HANSON’s album “String Theory.”

To purchase the album, visit hanson.net. HANSON’s May 17 concert with the Tulsa Symphony is sold out, but you can see the band perform at The Hop Jam on Sunday, May 19th.

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