Jeff Hanson (1978 – June 5, 2009) was a singer-songwriter, guitarist, and multi-instrumentalist whose voice was described in a 2005 Paste review as an "angelic falsetto, a cross between Alison Krauss and Art Garfunkel that's often (understandably) mistaken for a female contralto." Hanson was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He started learning guitar at four years old and by the age of 13 formed the emo/indie rock band M.I.J. Seven years later the band released a 7", an EP and a full album on Caulfield Records.