Matt Nathanson has put his money where his mouth is. In an effort to make real and lasting change in the world,
Nathanson has partnered with Starkey Hearing Foundation to raise awareness and funds for the hearing impaired.
Nathanson recently made the 24-hour journey from San Francisco, CA to Huancayo, Peru to volunteer with the Foundation team and distribute over 1,000 hearing aids and after care to people in need.
The resulting video of Matt's trip is not only a moving document of his time there, but also serves to raise funds for Starkey Hearing Foundation to continue their distribution efforts around the world.
100% of proceeds from the video are being donated to the Foundation by Matt and his label, Vanguard Records. The more the VEVO/YouTube link is posted and shared, the more funds they will receive.
Nathanson says of the experience, "If I couldn’t hear, I would be lost. Because I play music for a living, hearing is everything...It ignites something in you when you do work like this. I feel like this is the beginning of a life of giving back.”
"When we help someone hear, we provide a way for them to connect with others and experience the world around them," says Bill Austin, Founder of Starkey Hearing Foundation. "With the support of passionate partners and hearing angels like Matt Nathanson, we help people in need around the world reach their full potential and engage with the things, like music, that add color and joy to their lives."
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October is also both National Audiology Awareness Month & National Hearing Protection month. Starkey Hearing Foundation uses hearing as a vehicle to reflect caring and change lives around the world. Disabling hearing loss affects more than 360 million people, including 32 million children, worldwide, yet many do not have access to the hearing devices that can help them.
Starkey Hearing Foundation fits and gives more than 100,000 hearing aids annually, and as a member of President Clinton’s Global Initiative, it has pledged to fit one million hearing aids this decade. In addition to giving the gift of hearing through worldwide hearing missions, they also promote hearing health awareness and education through the Listen Carefully campaign and provides hearing instruments to low-income Americans through the Hear Now program.
Based in San Francisco, Matt Nathanson has evolved into one of the most applauded songwriters and engaging performers on the music scene today. His 2007 album Some Mad Hope yielded his breakthrough multi-platinum hit “Come on Get Higher” as well as the subsequent hits “Car Crash,” “Falling Apart” and “All We Are.” The success of Some Mad Hope earned Nathanson a coveted spot as a VH1 “You Oughta Know” artist, while also resulting in appearances on such national television & radio shows as The Late Show with David Letterman, The Howard Stern Show, Ellen, Conan, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Sixx Sense with Nikki Sixx, Dancing with the Stars, Rachael Ray, Live From Daryl’s House, and The CMA Awards to name a few.
He was recently featured on VH1’s ‘You Oughta Know’ Concert Special as well as VH1’s That Metal Show. Additionally, his songs have been spotlighted in numerous film and TV programs, including Good Morning America, NCIS, Private Practice, American Idol, X Factor, Vampire Diaries, Scrubs, American Pie, 90210 and Celebrity Bucket List.
Modern Love, his previous studio album, topped the iTunes Pop Chart and featured the hit singles “Faster” and “Run” – the latter featuring Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush. His latest release LAST OF THE GREAT PRETENDERS debuted at #16 on the Billboard Top 200 (his highest debut to date) and hit #1 on the iTunes Alternative Albums chart. Nathanson’s legendary live shows, in which he displays a chic comedic flair, have resulted in sold-out tours across the U.S., U.K., Canada and Australia. Nathanson also served as a Voting Artist for this year’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction process and has had the distinction of giving a TEDx Talk on “The Creative Process.”
Acoustic Nation is written by Laura B. Whitmore, a music industry marketing veteran, music journalist and editor, who has contributed to Parade.com, Guitar World, and others. She has interviewed hundreds of musicians and hosts the She Rocks Podcast. As the founder of the Women’s International Music Network, she advocates for women in the music industry and produces the annual She Rocks Awards. She is the Senior Vice President of Marketing for Positive Grid, making the world safe for guitar exploration everywhere! A guitarist and singer/songwriter, Laura is currently co-writing an album of pop songs that empower and energize girls.
