New coffee table book inspired by their efforts to fight poverty and AIDS in Africa will also contain a special EP with newly recorded tracks by the band
 

Tulsa, OK –July 2008–With HANSON’s fourth studio album, The Walk, which debuted in the Top 5 on Billboard’s Independent Chart, the band has announced a new set of U.S.dates beginning September 7. The Walk Around The World Tour has a refreshed message in their goals to fight poverty in Africa and a re-tooled live set for the fans. A complete list of dates is listed below. 

HANSON, known for their energizing and engaging live performances have been receiving rave reviews for The Walk tour. Absolute Punk enthuses “Among all of the incredible live performances I’ve seen this year, Hanson has risen to the top as the best” and New York’s Village Voice calls HANSON “The finest straight-up rock band in America”. 

On The Walk Around The World Tour it is not HANSON that is trotting the globe (though they will be touring in South America this Fall) HANSON’s new campaign is to encourage fans and other individuals to continue the one mile walks they have hosted since last Fall to fight poverty – with a new mission of compiling enough miles to walk ‘around the world’ (24,902 Miles.) Through the campaign others can organize their own walks locally coordinated through Takethewalk.net set to launch mid-August or join HANSON for a walk during their tour. For each mile, a dollar is donated on the walker’s behalf - by the band. Most importantly fans are empowered to directly support real solutions on the ground in Africa through the tour and the bands site. 

“The Walk is about taking action, no matter how small. Our generation has the power to fight global challenges by looking at tangible actions and putting them to work” said  Taylor Hanson. Added Zac Hanson “Each mile shows the power of simple actions to make a difference - the real impact comes when participants see how much more they can do”.

The Walk Tour began last Fall with one mile walks helping to provide thousands of shoes to children in Poverty in South Africa with TOMS Shoes. Last November HANSON joined TOMS on their second shoe drop, delivering a whopping 50,000 pairs of shoes to children in Africa. 

On the road this Fall, the band will also be featuring a special coffee table book inspired by their efforts to fight poverty and AIDS in Africa. The book, called Take The Walk presents the bands own story and the importance of individuals taking simple actions to fight poverty and disease in Africa. The book will also feature a special EP with new tracks recorded especially for the project. With both the music and the book raising further funds for aid groups in Africa, including continued support of TOMS Shoes and HIVSA. 

HANSON will also continue their one-mile barefoot walks with fans, coinciding with their concerts across the US. The exact location of each day’s walk will be announced on hanson.net 3 hours in advance (if you participate in the one-mile walk, you’ll get to “jump the line” for the concert that night so you don’t need to worry about losing your place!). 

Further details on purchasing tickets can be found at: www.hanson.net. 

Here’s a list of cities/venues where you can catch HANSON perform on The Walk Around The World Tour - more dates to follow: 

The Walk follows the 2004 debut release on their 3CG label, Underneath, which went to #1 on the Billboard Independent chart, producing the #2 single, “Penny and Me,” a Top 10 in the U.K. as well. The band’s 1997 debut, Middle of Nowhere, sold more than 4 million albums in the U.S., thanks to the chart-topping hit, “MmmBop,” which U2’s Bono has called “one of my favorite songs of all time.” The group received three Grammy nominations that year, including Best New Artist and Record of the Year. 

LA Times praised the CD, ““The Walk” is intelligent mainstream rock with a soulful influence. These brothers must be seen live”, and Billboard described it as “an iconic American sound”.