The Band’s Robbie Robertson has issued an announcement honoring Ronnie “Hawk” Hawkins, who died Sunday at the age of 87. Robertson and future members of the Band backed Hawkins of their youth throughout the Nineteen Sixties, earlier than they toured with Bob Dylan and went on to change into one in all the most influential teams in rock historical past. Robertson’s assertion follows under in full.
My coronary heart sank after I heard “The Hawk” simply flew into the sundown.
The story of The Band started with Ronnie Hawkins. He was our mentor. He taught us the guidelines of the street.
Ronnie Hawkins introduced me down from Canada to the Mississippi delta after I was 16. He recorded two songs I’d written and thought I is perhaps gifted. He tried me out on guitar and bass the solely drawback was; I’m too younger to play in the golf equipment they toured, I used to be too inexperienced, not a adequate musician but, and there are NO Canadians in southern rock and roll bands. However I practiced till my fingers had been bleeding and he ended up hiring me towards all odds.
Ron prided himself in all the time having prime notch gamers in his group. Levon Helm his drummer in the Hawks and I talked Ron into hiring Rick Danko on bass and vocals, Richard Manuel on piano and vocals and Garth Hudson on organ and sax. Together with Levon and me this turned the magic mixture.
Ronnie was the godfather. The one who made this all occur.
He had us rehearsing always into the wee hours. We balked about it, however we bought higher and higher. Our objective whether or not we knew it or not.
After the Hawks left Ron and went out on our personal, we joined up with Bob Dylan. Subsequent the Hawks turned The Band and the relaxation is historical past, as they are saying.
All beginning out with Ronnie Hawkins.
He was not solely an important artist, an amazing performer and bandleader, however had a mode of humor unequaled. Fall down humorous and utterly distinctive. Yep, God solely made a kind of. And he’ll dwell in our hearts eternally.
My deepest condolences to his household.
Bless his soul.
