<back - RONNIE 'THE HAWK' HAWKINS - Ronnie Hawkins was born in Huntsville, Arkansas, on January 10, 1935. His mother was a teacher and his father was a barber. The family moved to nearby Fayetteville, Arkansas, when Ronnie was 9 years old.  When he graduated from high school, he enrolled at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, majoring in physical education. It was there that he formed his first band The Hawks, and toured with them regionally in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Missouri. He heard that one of the most respected guitarists at the time, Jimmy Ray Paulman wanted to put a band together, and Ronnie was happy to join. Paulman's first cousin Will 'Pop' Jones, played piano in the band, and he knew of a kid from Marvell, Arkansas, who sang and played guitar at local county fairs. His name was Levon Helm.

Even though he wasn't a drummer, Levon Helm stated to Ronnie that he had always wanted to try playing the drums. One of the venues they performed at was the Rockwood Club in Fayetteville, which Ronnie owned and operated. Musicians who played there included Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison and Conway Twitty, who told Ronnie that Canada was the promised land. So Ronnie took his band to Canada, touring along the way and busting club records everywhere. Morris Levy, from New York, signed Ronnie to Roulette Records an recorded Hey Bo Diddley in tribute to Ronnie's friend and musical peer Bo Diddley. Ronnie Hawkins remained with the label from 1959 to 1964. During this time, the members of The Hawks were constantly changing, except for Levon Helm. The version of The Hawks (Ronnie, Levon Helm, Rick Danko, Richard Manuel, Robbie Robertson, Garth Hudson) wowed the crowds in Toronto until 1963, when The Hawks decided to leave Ronnie. They hooked up with Bob Dylan, later to become the musical powerhouse know as The Band. Over the next decade, several Hawks went on to gain stardom after attending the 'Ronnie Hawkins Rock n' Roll Bootcamp'. One incarnation, which included John Till and Richard Bell, who went on to form Janis Joplin's 'Full Tilt Boogie Band. Another version of The Hawks included Richard Newell, who  became King Biscuit Boy & Crowbar. His 1984 LP, 'Making It Again', earned him the Juno Award for Country Male Vocalist. In 1989, he helped tear down the Berlin Wall, playing with The Band. In 1992, Ronnie performed at Bill Clinton's inaugural party, The Blue Jeans Bash. Ronnie's 1995 CD 'Let It Rock' earned him a 1996 Juno Award nomination with Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis joining him for his 60th birthday. Ronnie's influence on Canadian music was achieved when he received the Walt Grealis Special Lifetime Achievement Award as CARAS' Industry Builder in 1996. In 1997, Ronnie recorded 'Backdoor Man' for a tribute album for another old friend, Howlin' Wolf. Ronnie Hawkins remains 'Mr. Dynamo', a legend who is credited with bringing Rock n' Roll to Canada.-LivinBlues
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