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Hanson music biography continued...

debut, played guitar; 13-year-old Taylor sang lead and played keyboards; drummer Zac was 11 years old. The boys grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where they played locally and recorded two independent albums there, Boomerang (recorded in autumn 1994, released in 1995) and MMMBop (released in 1996). Soon after, they attracted a manager who shopped them to the major labels and obtained a deal with Mercury in 1997. They soon became a worldwide sensation with the release of their first major-label album, Middle of Nowhere, which was produced by the famous Dust Brothers and featured a re-release of the smash hit single "MMMBop." Thanks to Middle of Nowhere, The band was nominated for three Grammy Awards in 1998: Record of the Year, Best New Artist, and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. During the summer of 1998, Hanson began a highly successful concert trek, the Albertane Tour, during which they wrote and demoed what would later become the songs for their second major studio album (Fourth overall), This Time Around. The album promised to bring millions of Hansonmaniacs more of the fresh-faced, catchy tunes that had made the band superstars amongst the tween set.



While they were writing new songs, Hanson's label, Mercury Records, merged with Island Def Jam. Almost immediately following the changeover Hanson released their second album, This Time Around, in May 2000 but due to lack of promotional support, the album failed commercially and the label eventually pulled funding for their tour. The band toured through the summer and fall of 2000 on their own dime. After a 3 year struggle, depicted in the documentary film Strong Enough to Break, Hanson left Island Def Jam and began recording on their own independent label, 3CG Records. Released in April 2004, their next album, Underneath, debuted at #1 on Billboard Top Independent Albums chart and #25 on the Billboard 200 album chart, making Underneath one of the most successful self-released albums of all time. Today, Hanson continues to record and perform, displaying a talent that speaks to their longevity.