For most of you, 1997 may seem like a distant memory. But, that's when the band Hanson "MMMbopped" onto the scene.

I was only 4 years old when they came out with their hit MMMbop, and fell in love with it. Mostly because it was a catchy song that a young pre-schooler can sing without messing up too bad. I really got into the band in 1998 when my father was recording me dancing and singing to a Hanson concert on TV. This is when I was singing their song "Where's the Love" as "Wrap you up!" at the top of my lungs. Issac, Taylor and Zac Hanson were my 3 favorite musicians for a very long time.

Zac was the reason why I found I liked drumming, and that I was fairly good at it!. I drummed the hell out of the kits I would get from parents for Christmas, a bit too hard, but I still had fun none the less.

In 2000, their second album came out. I was 7 at the time this album was released and loved it even more than their first album. My favorite song on that record was a song by the name of "Can't Stop" and I wouldn't hear that song live until 10 years later at my 3rd Hanson Concert.

In 2000, Hanson came to a theater near where I live, and my parents surprised me with tickets to the show. It was one of the best concerts I ever went to. And I couldn't hear for 2 days afterward because of the crazy teenage girls screaming. The one thing I remember is a security guard picking me up from my seat (apparently my mom was all in on this plan) and whisked me right to the front of the stage, right in front of Issac. I was getting crushed by all these people, so the same guard picked me up so I could see. I remember seeing Taylor leaning towards me to high five me from the stage, but people were too nuts and I wasn't able to reach him. It was a night that I would never ever forget.

The best Hanson experience had to be when I talked to them on the phone. My brother worked for a local magazine where he had interviewed the band since they were coming to our area. He invited me to talk to my idol at the time who was Zac Hanson. I was so nervous and when he finally said hello to me over the phone, I almost peed my pants. As a 7-year-old, talking to my idol was beyond real. I was starstruck. I was so star struck, that when he asked me what grade I was in, I said my hometown instead of my grade. I still kick myself for that to this day. When I meet him someday, I'll make sure to play that recording for him and tell him what grade I was in!

A couple weeks later I received a gift in the mail from the band. It was a bunch of VHS tapes from TV specials they had done, as well as CD singles, which I still have to this day. But, the best gift had to be this:

I got a personalized autographed picture from the band. The top says "James, Keep on Drumming!-Z."

This picture still hangs in my room to this day, as it is one of my prize possessions.

Now, Hanson has grown up and gone indie. I've also grown up, but my love for the band has never stopped. I've seen them 2 other times and plan on going to more Hanson shows in the next few years. One of these days, I'll get the chance to meet them, because they have been part of my life for now 20 years!