Hawk Nelson is a Canadian rock band from

Peterborough, Ontario Peterborough ( ) is a city on the Otonabee River in Ontario, Canada, about 125 kilometres (78 miles) northeast of Toronto. According to the 2021 Census, the population of the City of Peterborough was 83,651. The population of the Peterborough ...

. Formed in 2000, the band has released eight studio albums to date.

History

Early independent releases (2000–2003)

In 2000, Dunn, Clark, and Paige founded a

Peterborough Peterborough () is a cathedral city in Cambridgeshire, east of England. It is the largest part of the City of Peterborough unitary authority district (which covers a larger area than Peterborough itself). It was part of Northamptonshire unti ...

-based group called "SWISH", while Biro sang lead vocals for a four-piece group called the "Cheese Monkeys from Planet Nine" from

Barrie, Ontario Barrie is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada, about north of Toronto. The city is within Simcoe County and located along the shores of Kempenfelt Bay, the western arm of Lake Simcoe. Although physically in Simcoe County, Barrie is politically ...

. In 2000, SWISH released their first independent album, ''Riding Around the Park'' on Mime Radio, an independent record label based in Peterborough. In January 2002, Biro moved to Peterborough to join Dunn, Clark and Paige and SWISH was renamed "Reason Being", before finally settling with the name "Hawk Nelson". In 2003, they released their second independent album, ''Saturday Rock Action''.

''Letters to the President'' (2004–2005)

They continued to perform and tour independently in Ontario, Canada, before being signed with Tooth & Nail Records, largely on the recommendation of

Trevor McNevan Trevor McNevan is a Canadian singer who is best known as the lead singer, songwriter and rapper of Thousand Foot Krutch, lead singer and songwriter of pop punk side project FM Static along with Steve Augustine (the third Thousand Foot Krutch dru ...

, the lead singer of fellow Tooth & Nail bands

Thousand Foot Krutch Thousand Foot Krutch (often abbreviated TFK) is a Canadian Christian rock band formed in Peterborough, Ontario, in 1997. The band has released eight studio albums, two live albums, and three remix albums. The band currently consists of foundin ...

and FM Static. McNevan, also from

, is credited with discovering the band. In July 2004, Hawk Nelson released their debut album '' Letters to the President''. It was produced by

Aaron Sprinkle Aaron Sprinkle (born March 20, 1974) is an American singer, songwriter and record producer from Seattle, Washington. Career His career in music began in high school with a group called BellBangVilla. BellBangVilla became Poor Old Lu and th ...

and McNevan, who also co-wrote the album's fourteen songs. He has also appeared on some of the band's songs, as well as in their video for the song "California". The band has achieved some success in the mainstream as well. They portrayed

The Who The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist and singer John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered ...

on an episode of the

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

drama ''

American Dreams ''American Dreams'' is an American drama television series that ran on NBC for three seasons & 61 episodes, from September 29, 2002, to March 30, 2005. The show tells the story of the Pryor family of Philadelphia during the mid-1960s, with many ...

'', and they recorded a song named "Bring 'Em Out" as the theme for the 2005 motion picture '' Yours, Mine and Ours'' featuring

Drake Bell Jared Drake Bell (born June 27, 1986) is an American actor, singer, songwriter, and musician. Born in Newport Beach, California, he began his career as an actor in the early 1990s at the age of five with his first televised appearance on ''Hom ...

. This song and another hit song "The Show" were both used on

Sunday Night Football Sunday Night Football may refer to: * ''NBC Sunday Night Football'', the Sunday night broadcast of American NFL games by NBC since 2006 * ''ESPN Sunday Night Football'', the Sunday night broadcast of American NFL games from 1987 to 2005 by ESPN * ...

commercials. "Things We Go Through" from ''Letters to the President'' was also featured in ''Yours, Mine and Ours''. In October 2005, the band re-released ''Letters to the President'', with new material including their cover of

's "My Generation", three acoustic versions of some of their hits, and a limited edition cover. Hawk Nelson plays the party band for the film '' Yours, Mine and Ours'' (2005). On December 20, 2005, Hawk Nelson released an EP titled ''Bring 'Em Out''.

''Smile, It's the End of the World'' (2006–2007)

Hawk Nelson continued to gain popularity and was voted "Favorite New Artist" by ''

CCM Magazine ''CCM Magazine'' is a twice-monthly online magazine focusing on contemporary Christian music, published by Salem Publishing, a division of Salem Communications. History ''CCM'' was first published in July 1978, as a printed magazine. It has b ...

'' in their February 2006 Reader's Choice Awards. On April 4, 2006, Hawk Nelson released ''Connect Sets'' EP with six acoustic tracks, including "Bring Em' Out", "Thing We Go Through", and "California". HawkNelson-DanielBiro

The band released their second studio album, ''

Smile, It's the End of the World ''Smile, It's the End of the World'' is the second full-length album by pop punk band Hawk Nelson. It was released on April 4, 2006. The record was a 2007 GMA Dove Award nominee for Rock Album, produced by Aaron Sprinkle. It was also a nom ...

'', on April 4, 2006. The album was also co-written by Trevor McNevan of

. The album won a GMA Canada

Covenant Award The Covenant Awards are awarded to the Canadian gospel music industry by GMA Canada, the Gospel Music Association of Canada. The association is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote the growth and ministry of Christian music in Ca ...

for "Modern Rock/Alternative Album of the Year" in 2006. The album's first single, "Everything You Ever Wanted", went on to hit No. 1 for 9 weeks on the '' R&R'' Christian CHR chart, and was the fourth most-played song of 2006. The band spent the middle of 2006 touring the major Christian music festivals, and also took part in

Jeremy Camp Jeremy Thomas Camp (born January 12, 1978) is an American contemporary Christian music singer and songwriter from Lafayette, Indiana. He has released eleven albums, four of them RIAA-certified as Gold, and two live albums. Camp's original music ...

's ''Beyond Measure'' tour. Hawk Nelson released a three-track

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year ...

EP titled ''

Gloria Gloria may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music Christian liturgy and music * Gloria in excelsis Deo, the Greater Doxology, a hymn of praise * Gloria Patri, the Lesser Doxology, a short hymn of praise ** Gloria (Handel) ** Gloria (Jenkins) ...

'' on November 21, 2006, and then toured with

TobyMac Toby McKeehan (born Kevin Michael McKeehan; October 22, 1964), better known by his stage name TobyMac (styled tobyMac or TOBYMAC), is an American contemporary Christian music singer, rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He was first known ...

's Winter Wonder Slam tour along with

The Afters The Afters is an American Christian pop rock band founded by Joshua Havens and Matt Fuqua. Havens and Fuqua first worked together in a Starbucks coffee shop in Mesquite, Texas, where they performed songs for customers, before deciding to form a ...

Family Force 5 FF5 (formerly known as Family Force 5, The Phamily, Ground Noise and The Brothers) is an American Christian rock band from Atlanta, Georgia. The band formed in 2005 by brothers Solomon "Soul Glow Activatur" Olds, Joshua "Fatty" Olds, and Jaco ...

, and

Ayiesha Woods Ayiesha Woods (born July 2, 1979) is a contemporary Christian musician signed to Gotee Records. She has released two studio albums on Gotee: '' Introducing Ayiesha Woods'' (2006) and '' Love Like This'' (2008). Woods is known for the hit songs " H ...

. Bulletproof Records and producer Ralph Sall have assembled the compilation ''Charlotte's Web: Music Inspired By The Motion Picture'' featuring music by Christian artists including Hawk Nelson,

Amy Grant Amy Lee Grant (born November 25, 1960) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. She began in contemporary Christian music (CCM) before crossing over to pop music in the 1980s and 1990s. She has been referred to as "The Queen of Christia ...

Selah (; hbo, סֶלָה, selā) is a word used 74 times in the Hebrew Bible. Its etymology and precise meaning are unknown, though various interpretations are given. It is probably either a liturgical-musical mark or an instruction on the reading ...

, and

Billy Ray Cyrus Billy Ray Cyrus (born August 25, 1961) is an American country singer and actor. He has released 16 studio albums and 53 singles since 1992, and is known for his hit single "Achy Breaky Heart", which topped the U.S. Hot Country Songs chart and ...

, which was released December 12, 2006. In addition,

Bob Carlisle Robert Mason "Bob" Carlisle (born September 29, 1956) is an American Contemporary Christian singer and songwriter. He performed with several bands, most notably Allies and Billy Thermal, before launching a solo career where he received a Grammy ...

Leigh Nash Leigh Anne Bingham Nash ( ; born June 27, 1976) is an American singer and songwriter who was the lead vocalist for the Christian alternative rock band Sixpence None the Richer and was also a member of Fauxliage. Her debut solo album, '' Blue on ...

(

Sixpence None The Richer Sixpence None the Richer (also known as Sixpence) is an American Christian alternative rock band that formed in New Braunfels, Texas, and eventually settled in Nashville, Tennessee. They are best known for their songs " Kiss Me" and "Breathe Yo ...

), and The Send have all contributed exclusive tracks. Hawk Nelson performed in 2006 on the Fringe Stage at

Creation Festival Creation Festival, commonly shortened to Creation, is an annual four-day Christian music festival in the United States. According to its organizers, it is the "Nation's Largest Christian Music Festival." Average attendance is between 50,000 an ...

Northwest, then again on the main stage at Creation in 2007. They performed sometime between July 25–28, 2007, at

Northwest on the Main Stage, and they played again on the Fringe Stage at

Northeast sometime between June 27–30, 2007. In 2007, (and again in 2009), Hawk Nelson performed at Winter Jam with a variety of other

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι� ...

bands, including

Newsong NewSong is an American contemporary Christian music group that was founded in 1981, at Morningside Baptist Church in Valdosta, Georgia. They have had twelve GMA Dove Award nominations, and one Grammy Award Nomination. They are also the foun ...

Steven Curtis Chapman Steven Curtis Chapman (born November 21, 1962) is an American contemporary Christian music singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, author, and social activist. Chapman began his career in the late 1980s as a songwriter and performer of conte ...

, Sanctus Real, and

Britt Nicole Brittany Nicole Waddell, better known by her stage name Britt Nicole (born August 2, 1984) is an American vocalist, songwriter and recording artist. She has mainly charted as a Christian pop artist, but in 2012 found her debut mainstream single, ...

. Hawk Nelson also toured with

MxPx MxPx () is an American pop punk band from Bremerton, Washington, founded in 1992 as Magnified Plaid. As of 2016, current members include Mike Herrera on lead vocals and bass guitar, Yuri Ruley on drums and percussion, Tom Wisniewski on lead g ...

Run Kid Run Run Kid Run is a Christian pop/rock band from Carmi, Illinois and Morganfield, Kentucky, formed in 2006. Their debut album '' This Is Who We Are'', was released on May 18, 2006 through Tooth & Nail Records. All of the members, except Paul Stewa ...

Project 86 Project 86 is an American metal band from Orange County, California, formed in 1996. The band has released ten albums, which have collectively sold nearly 500,000 units worldwide, two EPs, two DVDs, and one live album. In 1998, BEC Recordings ...

, The Fold, and

The Classic Crime The Classic Crime is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 2004. The band's current lineup consists of Matt MacDonald (vocals, guitar), Alan Clark (bass), Robert "Cheeze" Negrin (guitar), and Paul "Skip" Erickson (drums, vo ...

on the Tooth and Nail Tour. On March 27, 2007, Hawk Nelson released a "Double Take" which includes selections from ''Letters to the President'' and ''Smile It's the End of the World''. They then released a holiday-themed EP titled ''Holiday Trio'' on November 20, 2007. In 2007, Aaron Tosti left the band to pursue other musical ventures and was replaced by Justin Benner.

''Hawk Nelson Is My Friend'' and ''Live Life Loud'' (2008–2010)

The band's third full album, ''

Hawk Nelson Is My Friend ''Hawk Nelson Is My Friend'' is the third full-length studio album from Christian rock band Hawk Nelson. It was released on April 1, 2008, debuting at No. 34 on the ''Billboard'' 200. In the first week of its release the album sold a little ov ...

'' was released on April 1, 2008, and featured songs co-written by Trevor McNevan of

, Raine Maida of

Our Lady Peace Our Lady Peace (sometimes shortened to OLP) is a Canadian rock band formed in Toronto, Ontario in 1992. Led by lead vocalist Raine Maida since its formation, the band currently also features Duncan Coutts on bass, Steve Mazur on guitars, and ...

and

Richard Marx Richard Noel Marx (born September 16, 1963) is an American adult contemporary and pop rock singer-songwriter. He has sold over 30 million albums worldwide. Marx's self-titled debut album went triple-platinum in 1987, and his first single, " D ...

. In 2008, the band also contributed a cover of " Don't You (Forget About Me)", originally by

Simple Minds Simple Minds are a Scottish rock band formed in Glasgow in 1977. They have released a string of hit singles, becoming best known internationally for " Don't You (Forget About Me)" (1985), which topped the '' Billboard'' Hot 100 in the United ...

, off the ''Don't You Forget About Me: The Covers'' EP. The song was also featured in back-to-school commercials for

J.C. Penney Penney OpCo LLC, doing business as JCPenney and often abbreviated JCP, is a midscale American department store chain operating 667 stores across 49 U.S. states and Puerto Rico. Departments inside JCPenney stores include Mens, Womens, Boys, Girl ...

. On June 8, 2010, ''Hawkology: Anothology of Hawk Nelson'' was released containing three previously released albums: '' Letters to the President'', ''

'', and ''

''. On June 16, 2009, '' Summer EP'' was released through digital outlets only. In January 2008, the band headlined their own tour that they called "The Green T Tour" which also featured

Capital Lights Capital Lights was an American Christian pop rock band from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Formed in 2002 as Aftereight (stylized afterEIGHT), the band changed its name after signing to Tooth & Nail Records in 2008. The group initially disbanded in 2009 ...

and

. Hawk Nelson was nominated for a 2009 Grammy Award in the category for Best Recording Package, for their 2008 album ''Hawk Nelson Is My Friend''. On July 21, 2009, Hawk Nelson released their second single from their fourth album ''

Live Life Loud ''Live Life Loud'' (stylized as ''LIVE*LIFE*LOUD!'') is the fourth studio album from Christian rock band Hawk Nelson. It was released on September 22, 2009. According to Daniel Biro, the dog on the cover is lead vocalist Jason Dunn's dog Murphy. ...

'' called "The Meaning of Life", and on August 8, the song "Alive" began to be played on Christian Radio. They released their fourth album, ''Live Life Loud'' on September 22, 2009. The title song "Live Life Loud" was made available in the Rock Band store during the first week of April 2010. The song "Live Life Loud" was featured in the trailer for the movie, "Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Rodrick Rules".

''Crazy Love'' and departure of Jason Dunn (2011–2012)

On February 8, 2011, Hawk Nelson released their fifth studio album titled '' Crazy Love'', which was bundled together with a new acoustic EP titled ''The Light Sides''. Hawk Nelson released another Christmas EP, titled ''Christmas EP'' on November 1, 2011, and it included the songs "Hark the Herald Angels Sing", "The Wassail Song", and "Up on the Housetop". On March 27, 2012, Hawk Nelson released a compilation album titled ''The Songs You've Already Heard: Best of Hawk Nelson''. On February 1, 2012, lead vocalist Jason Dunn announced he would be leaving the band in order to pursue his solo project, Lights Go Down, recording an album tentatively titled ''Abandon Progress''. On March 11, 2012, in Fresno, California, Dunn performed his final US show with Hawk Nelson. Following Dunn's departure, guitarist

Jonathan Steingard Jonathan Steingard (born 1983) is a Canadian musician who was the lead vocalist and lead guitarist for the Christian pop-punk band Hawk Nelson, which he joined in October 2004, replacing the former guitarist David Clark. He took over vocal duties ...

took over as lead vocalist and bassist Daniel Biro became the last remaining original member of the band.

Post-Dunn releases (2012–present)

After Dunn's departure from the band, Steingard replacing him on vocals marked a shift in the band's genre from fast-paced

pop punk Pop punk (or punk pop) is a rock music genre that combines elements of punk rock with power pop or pop. It is defined for its emphasis on classic pop songcraft, as well as adolescent and anti-suburbia themes, and is distinguished from other pu ...

to softer, contemporary

alternative Alternative or alternate may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Alternative (''Kamen Rider''), a character in the Japanese TV series ''Kamen Rider Ryuki'' * ''The Alternative'' (film), a 1978 Australian television film * ''The Alternative ...

and

pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alternative to normal rock and roll, ear ...

. On December 11, 2012, Hawk Nelson announced they had signed with Fair Trade Services. ''

Made Made or MADE may refer to: Entertainment Film * ''Made'' (1972 film), United Kingdom * ''Made'' (2001 film), United States Music * ''Made'' (Big Bang album), 2016 * ''Made'' (Hawk Nelson album), 2013 * ''Made'' (Scarface album), 2007 *''M.A.D.E.' ...

'' was released on April 2, 2013. The album's release was preceded by the release of the album's debut single on January 15, 2013, "Words", featuring

Bart Millard Bart Marshall Millard (born December 1, 1972) is an American singer and songwriter who is best known as the leader of the band MercyMe. He has also released two solo albums: '' Hymned, No. 1'', in 2005 and '' Hymned Again'' in 2008. He received a ...

MercyMe MercyMe is an American contemporary Christian music band founded in Edmond, Oklahoma. The band consists of lead vocalist Bart Millard, percussionist Robby Shaffer, bassist Nathan Cochran and guitarists Michael Scheuchzer and Barry Graul. The b ...

, which reached No. 1 on the Christian Hot AC/CHR charts. On December 10, 2014, Hawk Nelson released the first single off an upcoming album, "Drops In the Ocean" via YouTube and made available on iTunes January 13. The album, ''

Diamonds Diamond is a solid form of the element carbon with its atoms arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic. Another solid form of carbon known as graphite is the chemically stable form of carbon at room temperature and pressure, ...

'' was announced on January 21. ''Diamonds'' is Jonathan Steingard's second album as lead vocalist for the band and first for guitarist Micah Kuiper and drummer David Niacaris. "Just Getting Started", another song from "Diamonds", was heard in several ''

American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to ...

'' promo spots ahead of the album's release. The album was released on iTunes and other major music websites on March 17, 2015. On December 15, 2017, the band released the single, "He Still Does (Miracles)", as part of a new album, ''Miracles'', which was released April 6, 2018 through Fair Trade Services. In May 2020, Steingard announced on his

Instagram Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...

page that he had lost his faith in God and is no longer a Christian. In response, Daniel Biro made a post on the band's official Instagram page the following day thanking his bandmates and expressed continued support for them on and off the road. Soon thereafter, Steingard changed his Instagram profile to "Former lead singer Hawk Nelson".

Personnel

Current * Daniel Biro – bass guitar, backing vocals (2002–present) * Micah Kuiper – lead guitar, backing vocals (2013–present) * David Niacaris – drums (2015–present) Past * Jason Dunn – lead vocals, keyboards, rhythm guitar (2002–2012) * Dave 'Davin' Clark – lead guitar (2002–2004) * Matt 'Matty' Paige – drums (2002–2005) *

– lead guitar, backing vocals (2004–2012), lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards, piano, synthesizers (2012–2020) * Gideon 'Gidz' Courtney – drums (late 2005) * Aaron 'Skwid' Tosti – drums (2005–2008) * Justin Benner – drums (2008–2014) Timeline

Discography

Albums As SWISH *2000: ''Riding Around the Park'' (Independent) As Hawk Nelson *2003: ''Saturday Rock Action'' (Independent) *2004: '' Letters to the President'' ( Tooth & Nail Records) *2006: ''

'' (Tooth & Nail Records) *2008: ''

'' (

BEC Recordings BEC (Brandon Ebel Company) Recordings is a Christian rock record label that is an imprint of Tooth & Nail Records. The label was formed in 1997 in partnership with the EMI Christian Music Group. The label promotes bands with more adult Christi ...

) *2009: ''

'' (BEC Recordings) *2011: '' Crazy Love'' (BEC Recordings) *2013: ''

'' ( Fair Trade Services) *2015: ''

'' (Fair Trade Services) *2018: ''Miracles'' (Fair Trade Services)

Awards

GMA Canada

Covenant Awards The Covenant Awards are awarded to the Canadian gospel music industry by GMA Canada, the Gospel Music Association of Canada. The association is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote the growth and ministry of Christian music in C ...

* 2006 Modern Rock/Alternative Album of the Year: ''

'' * 2007 two nominations: Modern Rock/Alternative Song of the Year: "The One Thing I Have Left", and Recorded Song of the Year: "Everything You Ever Wanted" * 2008 two nominations: Group of the Year, and Modern Rock/Alternative Album of the Year: ''

'' * 2009 Modern Rock/Alternative Song of the Year: "Live Life Loud" * 2010 two awards: Modern Rock/Alternative Album of the Year: ''Live Life Loud!'', and Modern Rock/Alternative Song of the Year: "Never Enough" * 2011 two awards: Rock Album of the Year: ''Crazy Love'', and Rock Song of the Year: "Crazy Love"

GMA Dove Awards A Dove Award is an accolade by the Gospel Music Association (GMA) of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the Christian music industry. The awards are presented annually. Formerly held in Nashville, Tennessee, the Dove Award ...

* 2007 nominee, Recorded Music Packaging: ''Smile, It's the End of the World'' * 2009 nominee, Recorded Music Packaging: ''Hawk Nelson Is My Friend'' * 2010 nominee, Recorded Music Packaging: ''Live Life Loud'' * 2012 nominee, Rock Recorded Song of the Year: ''You Love Is A Mystery'' * 2012 nominee, Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year: ''Crazy Love'' * 2012 nominee, Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year: ''Crazy Love'' * 2012 nominee, Short Form Music Video of the Year: ''Crazy Love'' Golden Ear Music Awards (''Ignite Your Faith'' Magazine) * 2006 two wins: Best Band, and Best Male Vocalist: Jason DunnHawk Nelson placed third in Best Song of the Year: " Letters to the President
The Second Annual Golden Ear Music Awards, Christianity Today (2006)
Retrieved November 28, 2009.

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...

s * 2009 nominee, Best Recording Package: ''

Juno Awards The Juno Awards, more popularly known as the JUNOS, are awards presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music. New members of the Canadian Music Hall of ...

* 2007 nominee, Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year: ''

'' * 2012 nominee, Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year: '' Crazy Love'' VH1 *2006, No. 1 spot on VH1's top 20 video countdown with "The One Thing I Have Left" music video.

References

External links

* {{Authority control Musical groups established in 2003 Musical quartets BEC Recordings artists Tooth & Nail Records artists Canadian pop punk groups Musical groups from Peterborough, Ontario Canadian Christian rock groups Christian punk groups 2003 establishments in Ontario