From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Thu Jan 10, 2002  1:15 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Ronnie Hawkins

RONNIE HAWKINS (By Shaun Mather)

Born 10 January 1935, Huntsville, Arkansas

Born two days after Elvis Presley, Ronnie Hawkins could well be the cat that the
phrase "good ole boy"was based on. Despite his southern upbringing, Ronnie has
made his name from his adopted Canada, where he has held court ever since following
the advice of Conway Twitty and moving north in 1959. That same year he made
his first recordings for the Roulette label, and it's these classic sides,
cut between '59 and '63, that his considerable reputation is based on.

With dynamic backing from the Hawks (later to become The Band), the songs
featured a combination of electric rock 'n' roll and first class vocals from
Ronnie. Equally at home with rockers or ballads, Ronnie could also write a
mean song. Highlights for me include the bouncy hillbilly feel on Hayride,
the doo-wop/blues ridden Dreams Do Come True, the biting backing on Forty
Days (an adaptation of Chuck Berry's Thirty Days) and the unique sound of
Southern Love. [Forty Days (# 45) and Mary Lou (# 26) are the only chart
entries from his Roulette period ; he would enjoy one further hit (# 75) in
1970, with Down In The Alley, on the Atlantic subsidiary Cotillion.]

Their hard driving sound was particularly effective on the Bo Diddley
two-bits-and-a-haircut beat and as well as a breathtaking New York session
in January '63 where they slayed Bo Diddley and Who Do You Love, they also
employed the rhythm on the Hawkins penned Clara.

They say that Elvis was a white guy who could sound like a coloured, but has
anyone sounded more black than Ronnie Hawkins on the 13 September 1961 in
New York City. His covers of Sexy Ways, Honey Love and Searchin' drip with
grit and grease, and could easily have come from a soul drenched Memphis
back street.

Even now, despite ill health, Ronnie has continued to play hard assed
southern rock 'n' roll and a new release of recent recordings is imminent.

Celebrated by musicians and Presidents alike (Bill Clinton is a big fan!),

Ronnie is the real deal, and his continued place in the history books is assured.

Recommended listening;
Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks - The Roulette Years. Sequel NED CD 266.

Recommended reading;
Ian Wallis, The Hawk : The Story of Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks.
Kingston, Ontario : Quarry Books, 1996 (out of print).

Official website: http://www.pipcom.com/~thehawk/