Hanson Hits The Road With Families; Hosts Barefoot Mile Walks
 WENN |
The average fan arrives to a Hanson concert, enjoys the show, and heads back home, but what they may not notice are the six smiling faces on the sidelines or backstage rocking out to their dad’s music. The three Hanson brothers — Isaac, Taylor, and Zac – have packed up and hit the road for their Walk Around the World Tour and for the first time are taking their families along for the "adventure," as Isaac’s wife Nikki jokingly calls it. "Because this is the first time with all the young ones, it’ll be really interesting," laughs Isaac, 27, whose brood includes Nikki and their boys Clarke Everett, 18 ½ months, and James Monroe, 4 months on Saturday.
Opening up their tour bus to PEOPLE for a rare glimpse into the moments that show River busting out on the drums with Zac, Penny playing leap frog with him, or Everett trying to kiss his baby brother Monroe, the Hanson brothers realize that first impressions of the family can be somewhat intimidating. "Here we have the rare Hanson species, observing them in the wild," jokes Taylor, 25, who along with his wife Natalie are parents to Jordan Ezra, 6 on Friday, Penelope Anne, 3 ½, River Samuel, 2, and expecting a baby boy this winter. Zac — who has brought along his wife Kate and their 5-month-old son John Ira Shepherd – seems to have a plan to keep the kids under control. The 23-year-old jokes, "As long as we keep them away from sugar, it’ll be fine!"
Although Natalie, Kate, and Nikki laugh that they accept responsibility for their kids off stage, according to Natalie, they have come to a mutual agreement that should one of their tots escape during a concert, they will not be chasing them in front of thousands of screaming fans. "All the wives have an understanding with the tech guys that if [the kids] get up there, then it’s their job to go because we are not running on stage after them," shares Natalie. Fortunately, on the bus, most of the children seem to be kept quite occupied as Ezra is content playing video games, baby Monroe "luckily" is "usually very chill," and Penny — who everyone agrees, as the only girl, is "the boss" — enjoys discussing her concert outfits. Dishes Penny,
"I’m not gonna wear a hat because I don’t know where my Mickey Mouse hat is and it has a Mickey Mouse thingy on it and I can’t find it anymore!"
In their journey of "chaos," the brothers have also managed to add a philanthropic twist to their tour as well. Stopping along the way for their barefoot walks, the trio has pledged to donate a dollar for every person that joins them and completes the mile walk sans shoes. As Isaac explains that their goal is to "encourage people to take action against issues with poverty and AIDS in Africa," Taylor says that our necessities may be another person’s greatest treasures.
"Several things that we take for granted every day are things that can actually make a powerful difference for other people who have so little."
- Posted on Oct 28, 08 at 6:00PM
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- 14 Comments
October 28th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
OMG OMG! I’m feeling all nostalgic! I love them! They seem so grounded and like wonderful parents! Its hard to believe they have 6 kids between them…until I remember I have 3!!
Their kiddos all look so much alike!! cuties cuties!
October 28th, 2008 at 6:47 pm
Aww little Penny sounds so funny i wish she was getting a sister though
October 28th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
Wow when did the Hanson brothers get so handsome??
October 28th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Penny has the CUTEST voice ever! I loved Natalie’s answer when they asked how she handled herself with all boys. “She’s the boss!” You go, Penny! Hehe.
I was SUCH a Hanson fan in middle school. I literally had over 1000 pics of them all over my room. Taylor was my favorite then and it’s safe to say that I love him even more now that he’s a husband and a father. Makes him even sexier!
October 28th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
I love, love, love, love, LOVE them.
This makes me cry tears of happiness (and only a few of jealously) to see all of them with their babies and wives.
<3 Hanson
can’t wait for baby #7 this winter
October 28th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
<3 love them!!! So glad you guys got this video!
October 28th, 2008 at 11:43 pm
i love them, they’re still making great music after all these years.
such a cute family, too!
October 29th, 2008 at 5:11 am
I dont want to sound mean but were Taylor & Natalie already married when she became pregnant? No offense!!! But 19 seems young to be married & have a child on purpose
October 29th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
I love getting Hanson news on this site. Please keep it coming. All of their children are so beautiful.
October 29th, 2008 at 7:17 pm
Penny might be the cutest little girl ever. They are all adorable. I like that song, too! I may go download some Hanson!
October 31st, 2008 at 9:37 am
It’s nice they can bring their families with them to work. (we all should be so lucky!)
Cute kids. River on the drums…so cute.
Still a “Fanson” after all these years.
October 31st, 2008 at 2:52 pm
It’s kind of bizarre. I was the biggest Hanson fan in elementary school/early middle school. They were like The Beatles for my generation (the 90’s), and it’s strange that they’re all married with young children. They’re all around my age.
November 3rd, 2008 at 12:41 pm
I love these guys so much.
Their music is amazing. I agree with you, Cait. Somehow, Taylor being a husband and a father makes him sexier now. The whole family man thing. Maybe, it’s the fact he’s in a committed relationship? I don’t know. LOL
November 5th, 2008 at 1:31 am
I think it is awesome that they are still around and doing good for the world! their family is WAY TOO CUTE!!!!!! I have been a fan since 1997, and haven’t stopped.
I hope they are happy with their families and how their lives turned out!!
~~Sami (Mommy to Be)