A Tribute to Hanson
Katie Garibaldi is a San Francisco based singer/songwriter and guitar player. In March she performed alongside Hanson at SXSW at the South West Invasion. Here, Katie shares a few thoughts with us as a fan of Hanson and an artist, on Hanson’s 25th anniversary in making music.
Many thanks Katie!
I’ve been a Hanson fan since Middle of Nowhere, which is still one of my favorite albums and I’ve loved seeing their progression as artists and songwriters in the years since its release.
I used to cringe when people clumped Hanson in with boy band groups of the ‘90s. They were young and cute, but they were far from the in-the-box pop manufactured boy band. They were a solid musical band, exceptional songwriters, and forward-thinking entrepreneurs.
I saw them perform for the first time when I was 13. Now, exactly 20 years later, Hanson remains one of my favorite bands and I’ve not only seen them play numerous times, but I’ve met them on a few occasions and performed on the same showcase this year in Austin, TX at SXSW, which was a dream for me!
When I first met them two years ago at a Recording Academy event, I was thrilled to discover that they were just as humble and lovely as they seemed to be from afar. I love everything about their story and admire how hard they’ve worked and the legacy that they’ve built. I think what has inspired me most of all is their determination and focus on their goals from a young age.
At another industry event a couple years back, Zac talked about how he was six when they started the band, eight when they wrote “MMMBop,” and 11 when they played it on the Grammys. He said his point was, “Don’t patronize kids who know what the f*** they want to do.” I started my music career at a young age and can completely relate to his view on this. So many professionals who have experience, especially in the music business, tend to be quick to tell younger people what they should and should not do, instead of listening to and respecting their vision and allowing their artistry to shine for what it uniquely is.
Hanson has been a huge inspiration to me as a songwriter as well as an independent business woman, and I still marvel at the empire they’ve built and the music they make. They are true artists in every sense of the word. I can’t congratulate them enough on their 25th anniversary and am incredibly thankful that they never gave up and stuck with it, because in the sometimes dark cloud of the music industry, they are always an uplifting light that continues to burn on. -Katie Garibaldi (singer/songwriter – San Francisco, CA)
Follow Katie and find out about her music below.
4 Comments
Katie is a lovely songwriter in her own right with a killer voice. How nice she writes on songwriters she admirers so much. Well done, Katie
We are so thankful that Katie shared her thoughts and experiences with us. Great musicians all !!
Great article. Katie Garibaldi is so talented as is Hanson. Nice feature.
Yes we are so grateful to Katie for sharing her thoughts. Thank you too.