Posted on 04/09/2010 11:10:29 AM PDT by Star Traveler
Posted 04/08/10 10:36 pm
Producer: Natalie Andes
Tulsa, OK - Tulsa's own music trio of brothers raised money for charity tonight. Hanson led a barefoot walk.
The music group and dozens of their fans walked a mile without shoes along Brookside Thursday evening. It's an effort to fight poverty around the world.
The walk raises money for "One Day Without Shoes." It was started by TOM'S Shoes. The group provides shoes for kids in need.
Isaac Hanson talked about the importance of doing this in Tulsa.
"Tulsa's our hometown so it's always nice to be able to get out and not be far away from people you know. So, today we're enjoying the weather and glad to be here in our hometown," he said.
I didn't take off my shoes and walk barefoot, as I was the "photographer" doncha know ... :-)
By JENNIFER CHANCELLOR World Scene Writer
Published: 4/8/2010 2:37 AM
Last Modified: 4/8/2010 6:47 AM
The Hanson brothers will help raise awareness about impoverished children living without a pair of shoes, and they're asking you to go barefoot.
The "One Day Without Shoes" walk begins at 6 p.m. Thursday at Ida Red Boutique, 3336 S. Peoria Ave., and is being led by the Hansons.
The national event was created by Toms Shoes, a company that donates a pair of shoes to a child in need every time you buy a pair of shoes.
" 'One Day Without Shoes' is the day we spread awareness about the impact a simple pair of shoes can have on a child's life," an event press release said.
"On April 8, we ask people to go the day, part of the day or even just a few minutes, barefoot, to experience a life without shoes first-hand and inspire others at the same time."
So kick off your shoes, relax, and help out.
For more information, visit tulsaworld.com/onedaywithoutshoes .
Hanson is an American pop rock band formed in Tulsa, Oklahoma by brothers Isaac, Taylor, and Zac Hanson. They are best known for the 1997 hit song "MMMBop" from their major label debut album Middle Of Nowhere, which earned three Grammy nominations. Despite the enormous commercial success of Middle Of Nowhere, the band suffered from the merger that eliminated Mercury Records and were moved to Island Def Jam Music Group, which they eventually left after conflict with the label about creative input. The band now records under its own label, 3CG Records.
There were a lot of “interesting looking people” there, and so I was taking a bunch of snapshots, along with a lot of my cousin and her daughter (who wanted to go to this thing in the first place...) ...
So, I was snapping away, some pictures of the interesting characters, plus seeing all the other real good camera equipment that other photographers had there, too... and all of a sudden, I saw I was standing in the way of another guy shooting his pictures (he had a very good camera, too)....
So I stepped out of his way — except — his camera followed me when I stepped out of the way. Which, at that point, I realized I was the object of the photos he was taking ... LOL ...
He said he liked my beard and was snapping a bunch of photos and so, he kept on going. It was kinda weird hearing him snap them off and hear the sound of about ten frames going off in about three seconds... in bursts, as he was doing it...
But, I got a bunch of good pictures of Hanson in the process, and also some of their kids... and then, of course, the “relatives” doncha know ... :-)
By JENNIFER CHANCELLOR World Scene Writer
Published: 10/4/2007 4:10 AM
Last Modified: 10/4/2007 11:38 AM
As his brother Zac and many fans listen, Taylor Hanson speaks outside the Cain’s Ballroom on Wednesday at the beginning of a walk to raise awareness of problems in Africa. The pop trio Hanson had to cancel a Tulsa concert Wednesday night because the third Hanson brother, Isaac, was ill. Photo by STEPHEN PINGRY / Tulsa World
It was off.
Then it was on.
And then it was really on.
What started out as a planned homecoming performance for pop band Hanson turned into an unexpected rally of sorts for ailing Hanson brother Isaac, who was taken to a Dallas hospital early Wednesday morning.
He was in severe pain with a blood clot lodged in his arm and he needed emergency surgery, said his publicity manager, Ken Philips.
Wednesday night's show was postponed, but an afternoon, one-mile walk to raise awareness for HIV/AIDS and poverty in Africa went on as planned.
Media outlets initially reported the walk and the show were canceled. Then they reported the walk was on. Then they reported it was off.
No matter. Fans had been waiting hours to see the Hansons -- some even camping overnight in tents -- and when word spread about Isaac's illness, hundreds more also showed up to offer encouragement to the Hanson family.
Danielle Griffin, 21, from New Mexico, said she was disappointed that the concert was postponed, but admitted that she was also happy just to be able to help raise awareness for the cause and to show support for the band.
"We are all one family," she said.
Fans came from as far away as Utah, New York City, Australia and even Japan -- show or no show.
Participants included young women and men, children, mothers, fathers and even babies pushed in strollers.
"The news (of Isaac's illness) was everywhere. But I'd rather them cancel a show than endanger his life," said Mallory Bishop, 23, from Utah. "I'm still here, no matter what."
A little after 3 p.m., Hanson brothers Zac and Taylor and several hundred fans -- many of them shoeless -- embarked on the mile walk.
"I talked to Ike this morning," Taylor, using Isaac's nickname, told the crowd through a megaphone. "And he said the walk must go on."
The crowd erupted in cheers.
Fans raced to catch up with the brothers.
As the block-long procession ambled through downtown, both brothers explained the importance of their tour and of their album, both named "The Walk."
On each tour stop, they are holding one-mile walks. So far, almost 9,000 people have traversed 15 miles, said Taylor.
"Change starts with a step," Zac Hanson said. "When the heartland of America moves, the world changes."
In conjunction with the tour, TOMS shoe company will send a pair of shoes to poor children in Africa for every pair of shoes sold, Taylor said.
Zac said the band hopes to take 50,000 pairs of shoes to Africa in November.
Taylor reminded the crowd that an AIDS awareness walk is scheduled Saturday in Tulsa. More information on that is available at www.tulsaworld.com/AIDSwalk.
As the marchers approached Cain's Ballroom, the crowd broke into "Great Divide," the first single from the album. All proceeds from the single are also going to an AIDS hospital in Africa.
After the walk ended, a sweaty Zac and Taylor signed autographs for nearly an hour, and Taylor helped man the TOMS shoe table.
"With 9,000 people walking so far, think about the impact that could have if each one of them did something, somewhere," said Zac. "It's huge."
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