Yahoo Movies Hanson Opens Up About Prioritizing Fatherhood Over Fame: 'Sacrifice Everything for Your Kid'
In their 30 years as a band, Hanson has done it all: They've traveled the world playing everywhere from the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles to the Sydney Opera House in Australia, started their own indie record label and even earned three Grammy nominations.
But at home in Tulsa, Oklahoma, brothers Isaac, 41, Taylor, 39, and Zac, 36 — who appear with their families in this week's issue of PEOPLE — are just "Dad" to their kids.
"My kids, they don't think of our career at all," says Zac, who has five kids — sons Shepherd, 14, Abraham, 8, and Quincy, 16 months, and daughters Junia, 11, and Lucille, 5 — with wife Kate, 38.
"They're always welcome, but [with my kids I'll be] like, 'You want to come to the show?' [They'll say,] 'Yeah, nah. Maybe next time' — in a beautifully confident way," he adds. "Some of my kids love music, and today, one of my daughters is singing at a little local festival, but she doesn't care at all that her dad sings. She's just like, 'I want to sing, so I'm going to go sing.' "
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Ashley Alexander Hanson Family
Taylor — who shares sons Ezra, 19, River, 15, Viggo, 13, and Indiana, 3, and daughters Penelope, 17, Wilhelmina, 9, and Maybellene, 18 months, with wife Natalie, 38 — says he has a bit of a "different" perspective on his kids' relationship with music, since they range so much in age.
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"You definitely see the way they reflect on what it is to have a musical family," he says. "You also see that people are going to be who they are. I have some that are extremely like, 'I want to be on stage. I want to be a drummer. I want to play music.' One of my boys said at one point, 'You know, Dad, I think I want to control the musicians, not be one.' I was like, 'Okay, that's scary.' Future manager."
"Even though we're parents, and we've seen our kids get older, we're doing many of the things that we were doing back when we were teenagers, and they've seen that," he continues. "Especially with my older kids, they've really seen what it means to go on tour. They know that it's going to be a lot of fun, for sure, but it's a lot of work. Hopefully they get and appreciate that side of it."
Ashley Alexander Taylor Hanson, kids (from left) Ezra, River, Wilhelmina, Maybellene, Viggo, Indiana, and Penelope, and wife Natalie
Adds Isaac, who has three children — sons Everett, 15, and Monroe, 14, and daughter Odette, 8 — with wife Nicole, 38: "I was Everett's age now when we were making Middle of Nowhere. It's weird."
Raised primarily in Tulsa by mom Diana, who homeschooled them, and dad Walker, an accountant, Isaac, Taylor and Zac skyrocketed to fame 25 years ago with their debut album Middle of Nowhere and its infectiously catchy No. 1 hit "MMMBop."
Since then, they've always done things on their own terms. In 2003, when they felt their record label no longer understood them, they walked away and created their label 3CG Records. They've since released five studio albums, the latest being Red Green Blue in May.
Ashley Alexander Hanson
Though they're currently on a 90-date tour in support of Red Green Blue, their kids remain their top priority.
"After I finish a show, it's like, 'Hold on a second. I've got to do an encore, then I'll call you for the bedtime story,' " says Isaac.
Adds Taylor: "The job of being a dad is to sacrifice everything you want for that kid. I may be in the middle of meeting some famous musician, but, sorry, I've got to call my daughter and talk to her about her day."
RELATED VIDEO: Hanson Is All Grown Up — and Dads of 15! Inside Their 'Awesome Journey' in the 25 Years Since "MMMBop"
The brothers credit their wives — whom they all met at Hanson concerts — as the backbones of their family.
"We're married to amazing women, and they match our personalities very well because we're not at all the same," says Zac, who married his wife Kate in 2006. "I think the biggest thing about this lifestyle is it can oftentimes become all about you, the band, touring ... But my wife and I's relationship has just never been about that."
He adds, "It obviously formed in some way around Hanson, but it was just about a very, very deep ability to talk and share. I think we come back to that strength over and over and over again."
Ashley Alexander Zac Hanson, kids (from left) Shepherd, Junia, Quincy, Lucille, and Abraham, and wife Kate
For Isaac, the hardest thing he's had to learn throughout his relationship to wife Nicole — whom he also married in 2006 — has been "having honest and clear needs and expectations."
"I think it's hard to have an honest conversation because, inevitably, when emotions are involved, there's this very complicated idea, 'Aren't you supposed to know what I need?' " he says. "The truth is, I don't know what she needs. She doesn't know what I need. We have a good idea, but it's not always a clear idea. Finding ways to have those honest conversations has been something that we've kind of grown into."
Isaac continues, "It was not easy at first. In fact, I had to work through a lot in the early years of our marriage. But you get to the point where you realize, 'Oh, this person does love me enough and understand me enough to be willing to hear that.' "
Taylor says his lasting marriage to wife Natalie — whom he wed in 2002 — is built on the ability to recognize what's "essential" to each other's needs.
"[Marriage] isn't always perfect days, but it's a shared adventure," he says. "Music is a great tool to make sense of things, and I'm so grateful for that."
RELATED: MMM-Tots! Your Guide to the Ever-Growing Hanson Family Tree
Ashley Alexander Isaac Hanson, his kids (clockwise, in center) Everett, Monroe, and Odette, and wife Nicole
As they look forward to another 30 years of making music, the Hanson brothers are grateful to have their families along for the ride.
"For us, we just always had a really strong sense of place, and I think our kids have gotten that in a double dose," says Zac. "They're never going to go through the world wondering where they belong because there's a bunch of people that love them. I think that's the number one thing you can pass on to someone, especially as a dad, is to say, 'You belong here. You'll always have a place here.' "
For all the details on Hanson's journey and life now, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands everywhere Friday.
