| RONNIE HAWKINS - CD RELEASE PARTY AT HAMILTON CONVENTION CENTRE |
| Whether it�s false bravado or a genuine rock�n�roll heart that refuses to stop rompin�, Ronnie Hawkins has �danced with Mr. D� and then flipped him a bird - a hawk, or The Hawks, to be exact! On Thursday, December 5/02, his latest CD release, Still Cruisin�, was feted at the Hamilton Convention Centre with a multitude of Hamilton and GTA performers and, of course, The Hawk and his entourage. When Ronnie beckons his �musical children� to come back to the nest, there aren�t too many who would choose to refuse the offer. The published list of scheduled performers was further elongated with the addition of Larry Gowan, Garth (and Maude) Hudson, Patti Janetta, Tom Wilson, and so many more that I eventually gave up trying to keep track of them all. Patti, whose father is famous Toronto entrepreneur Louis Janetta, jokingly remarked that she was not popular as a young woman, due to Ronnie scaring away all the men with tales of her father being with the Mafia. Neil Cotton, a long-time fan of The Hawk, performed his tribute song to the Hawk, whom he calls �The Mayor of Old Yonge Street�. It�s a great song played unaccompanied, but it sounded even better with the slide guitar accompaniment by longstanding Hawk Buzz Thompson. Speaking of losing track, there were moments when I just couldn�t resist taking advantage of my media pass (thanks to promoter Chris McCullough) to forego the main concert (Chedoke) room for the performers� private rooms, so I could chat with the newly-arrived musicians as they gradually filtered in throughout the phenomenal 5�-hour non-stop show! I sure hope that English couple I met was eventually able to scoop up a pass as a souvenir - they were quite excited by the whole affair! Before the music got underway, Jason Farr of Y108 announced a special presentation to Ronnie by Hamilton Tiger Cats General Manager Mike McCarthy and Ti-Cat players Rob Hitchcock and Paul (�Ozzy�) Osbaldiston, who gave Ronnie a Number 1 Tiger Cats jersey. Chris and G.P. Partland, who are currently on tour with Ronnie & The Hawks, kicked off the musical performances with a couple of great guitar and piano-laden tunes (possibly called �What You Do For Me� and �Not If It Pleases Me�) containing �the sweetest harmonies this side of heaven�, to quote Ronnie. Speaking of athletes, former hockey player Dick Redmond jammed with BW Pawley & Plum Loco, which group also features former Hawk and Full Tilt Boogie-man John Till. The tempo and rhythm varied wildly throughout the evening, with rock acts like Teenage Head (with Jack Pedler on drums) and Goddo being scheduled way too early, as well as being sandwiched in between much softer rhythm and blues/soul or even acoustic acts. Doug Inglis, a long-time drummer with The Hawks, in addition to Goddo, provided his services for a number of the performers, including George Olliver (the Fred Astaire of Blue-Eyed Soul), whose crowd-pleasing set with The Hawks also featured George�s fellow Mandala bandmate and former Hawkins Disciple Domenic Troiano playing some unusual lead guitar work. (continued on next page) |
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