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I just saw this sad news on my local radio board and it occurs to me that some people in the U.S. and elsewhere in the world may have no idea how important Ronnie Hawkins was to rock music. He was born in Arkansas but came to Canada in the 50s and while never a hitmaker on record, per se, gained a reputation for raucous concerts, elevating early rock and perhaps his biggest legacy - helping to form the group who would become The Band.
He was a true hard drinking and hard living character and there will not be another like him, a kind of end-of-an-era bigger than life personality. He'd been sick for some time and finally succumbed at age 87. Given his lifestyle and some of his exploits, I'd say he was lucky to have been here for so long. It was an amazing career and I hope one day they make a movie about his life. I'm just not sure those unfamiliar with his story will entirely believe it!
Ronnie Hawkins, musician who called Canada home and mentored the Band, dead at 87
Last edited by aflem (May 29, 2022 2:11 pm)
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It's a very sad day for Canadian, and for that matter ALL Rock 'n Roll. As a teenager in the early 60s, I would grab some friends and drive my little green Volkswagen to the Summer Gardens in Port Dover to see "The Hawk", along with the rest of the guys who would eventually become "The Band". Seems to me that only Garth and Robbie are left from that amazing crew.
Tributes appearing in newspapers include from eminent biographers Brad Wheeler and Nicholas Jennings. This level in print has probably not been seen since August of '77
spouse
Last edited by spouse (May 31, 2022 7:40 am)
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