Ronnie Hawkins

Who they were

Ronald Cornett Hawkins was an American rock and roll singer, long based in Canada, whose career spanned 66 years. His career began in Arkansas, United States, where he was born and raised. He found success in Ontario, Canada, and lived there for most of his life. Hawkins was an institution of the Ontario music scene for over 40 years. He was influential in the evolution of rock music in Canada.

Early life

Educated at: Fayetteville High School.

Early life Hawkins was born on January 10, 1935, in Huntsville, Arkansas , [ 1 ] the son of Flora ( née Cornett), a schoolteacher, and Jasper Hawkins, a barber. In 1945, the family, which included Hawkins's older sister Winifred, moved to Fayetteville , where Hawkins was educated in the city's public schools, graduating from Fayetteville High School in 1952. [ 2 ] Musicianship ran in Hawkins's family; Hawkins's father, uncles,

Path and career

Awards / honours: Officer of the Order of Canada.

Career Hawkins and the group had begun touring Canada in 1958 as the Ron Hawkins Quartet on the recommendation of Conway Twitty, who told him Canadian audiences wanted to hear rockabilly. Their bassist George Paulman was abusing liquor and pills, so Hawkins left him behind, and the band played without a bass on their first tour of Ontario. Their first gig was at the Golden Rail Tavern in Hamilton, Ontario ,

Why this date

Ronnie Hawkins appears on our May 29 calendar for 2022 as a death entry.