Tony Hawk and Ben Harper Kick-Off the Second-AnnualBoards + Bands Auction at The GRAMMY Museum
Top skaters team up with legendary recordingartists to benefit at-risk youth
12/5/13 (Los Angeles, CA)—Legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk and renowned singer-songwriter and musician Ben Harper came together today for a press conference at The GRAMMY Museum at L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles to launch the second annual Boards + Bands auction to benefit at-risk youth (
During the press conference, which was held in the museum’s Clive Davis Theater,Hawk and Harper revealed all of this year’s board collaborations, including SirElton John and Bernie Taupin“Candle In The Wind”/ChrisCole;Daft Punk “Technologic”/Aaron”Jaws” Homoki;Panda Bear “You Can Count On Me”/AndrewReynolds;Ben Harper “Pleasure and Pain”/Christian Hosoi; andMick Jones and Paul Simonon of TheClash “London Calling”/TonyHawk.
The Boards + Bands initiative brings together the worlds of skateboarding and music to benefit the work ofthe Tony Hawk Foundation, which helps bring high quality public skateparks to underprivileged children in low-income communities. The chosen recording artists havehand-written the lyrics on one-of-a-kind skateboards from each skater.
“The second annual boards and bands has arrived!” said Harper. “I couldn’t be more proud of the work we’ve done at the Tony Hawk Foundation—it is an honor to serve as a member of the Board.Skatepark building is community building, so please help us spread the word about this year’s auction.Thank you!”
The Boards + Bands auction will officially launch this evening at 7:00 PM/PST via eBay ( will be open for bidding until December 15 at 7pm/PST. These boards are one-of-a kind collectors items which any musical or skate enthusiast would be excited to own. They also make for the ultimate gift this holiday season.
Last year’s Boards + Bands auction raised over $126,000 for the Tony Hawk Foundation, and this year Hawk and Harperhope theauction surpassesthat.
“It’s exciting to presentanother amazing group of unique boards,” said Hawk. “The combination of topskaters and musicians has resulted in some one-of-a-kind works of art, all beingauctionedto help build skateparks.”
These special collaborationskateboardswill be on display at The GRAMMY Museumthroughthe end of theauction on December 15.The GRAMMY Museum is located in the L.A. LIVEdistrict at800 W. OlympicBlvd., Los Angeles, California 90015. Museum hours, admission, and other informationcan be found at orby calling (213) 765-6800.
For more information about the Tony Hawk Foundation’s Boards + Bands auction, please contact Lily Schwimmer at 760-477-2479 or .
The Tony Hawk Foundation is currently accepting grant applications to help fund public skateparks. For more information, visit the foundation’s Web site at
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About The Tony Hawk Foundation
A charitable, non-profit organization, the Tony Hawk Foundation was established in 2002 by its namesake, professional skateboarder Tony Hawk, to promote and provide funds for high-quality public skateparks in low-income areas throughout the United States—with an emphasis on the word “quality.” Since then, the Foundation has awarded over $4.6-million to 537 communities in all 50 States. The Foundation focuses on working with local officials and grassroots, community-based organizations that plan to hire designers and contractors with strong experience designing and building skateparks.
The Tony Hawk Foundation was established by a gift from Tony Hawk. Its directors raise additional funds through events, donations, and continuing contributions from Tony and other entities. In addition to skateparks, the Foundation also makes donations to other children-related charities, as chosen by its Board Of Directors. For more information or to make a donation, visit the Foundation’s Web site at . You can also visit THF on facebook at , on Twitter @THawkFoundation, on Pinterest at THawkFoundation, and on Instagram@tonyhawkfoundation.
About The GRAMMY Museum
Paying tribute to music’s rich cultural history, this one-of-a-kind, 21st-century Museum explores and celebrates the enduring legacies of all forms of music, the creative process, the art and technology of the recording process, and the history of the premier recognition of excellence in recorded music—the GRAMMY Award. The GRAMMY Museum features 30,000 square feet of interactive and multimedia exhibits located within L.A. LIVE, the downtown Los Angeles sports, entertainment and residential district. Through thought-provoking and dynamic public and educational programs and exhibits, guests can experience music from a never-before-seen insider perspective that only The GRAMMY Museum can deliver.More at .
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Sir Elton John and Bernie Taupin decorated skate pros Chris Cole’s ridden skateboard.
Photo: Jody Morris