LOS ANGELES, CA – AUGUST 13, 2015 – Skateboarder Tony Hawk and Grammy Award-winning musician Ben Harper gathered last night in Los Angeles with supporters of the Tony Hawk Foundation to kick off the third annual Boards + Bands Auction – a special fundraising initiative that merges the worlds of skateboarding and music to benefit Hawk’s foundation.
Boards + Bands pairs A-list award-winning music talent with some of the biggest skateboarders in the world through artful collaboration. Hawk invited a select group of professional skateboarders to donate their personally ridden skateboards and submit the name of their favorite songs. Harper then sent those boards on to the appropriate artists with one simple message: “Please write the lyrics to this skater’s favorite song on his skateboard, and we’ll use it to create more skateparks for kids.”
“We are thrilled about this year’s amazing collection of boards featuring unique collaborations between some of the biggest names in skateboarding AND music, and we are grateful to all that made it possible,” said Tony Hawk. “We have high hopes for this year’s auction as we continue to further the Foundation’s mission of bringing skateparks to low-income communities around the world.”
“As a proud Board Member of the Tony Hawk Foundation, it’s inspiring to see such an amazing outpouring of support from this year’s collaborators,” said Ben Harper. “This year’s auction is sure to be the most successful to-date, and we are eager to put the proceeds back into this important cause.”
The auction is now live and those interested in bidding can do so at
www.BoardsAndBands.org. The complete list of the one-of-a-kind decks include:
Paul Rodriguez + Jay Z “Where I’m From”
Riley Hawk + Ozzy Osbourne “Fairies Wear Boots”
Shane O’Neil + Jay Z “Politics As Usual”
Ben Raybourn + DEVO “Uncontrollable Urge”
Chad Ortiz + Tom Petty “Mary Jane’s Last Dance”
Nyjah Huston +: Metallica “Fade To Black”
Ryan Sheckler + Of Mice & Men “The Depths”
Tony Hawk + U2 “Where The Streets Have No Name”
Tony Hawk + Tenacious D “Tribute”
Mikey Taylor + The National “Sorrow”
Chris Cole + Elton John & Bernie Taupin “Candle In The Wind”
Doug Saladino + Pearl Jam “Nothing As It Seems”
100 percent of the funds raised from the auction will directly benefit The Tony Hawk Foundation – a charitable, nonprofit organization that promotes and provides technical assistance and funds for high-quality skateparks in low-income areas throughout the United States that promote healthy, active lifestyles, and for International programming that enriches the lives of youth through skateboarding.
Since launching the program in 2012, The Boards + Bands initiative has raised over $139,000 to benefit the Tony Hawk Foundation.
