- Hawkshaw Hawkins
Harold Franklin Hawkins (
December 22 ,1921 –March 5 ,1963 ), better known by his stage name Hawkshaw Hawkins, was acountry music singer and member of theGrand Ole Opry from Huntington,West Virginia .He died in the 1963 plane crash that also killed country singers
Patsy Cline andCowboy Copas . His widow wasGrand Ole Opry starJean Shepard ."Hawkshaw" Hawkins had a strong stage presence. He was tall, handsome, and had rich, smooth vocals. His tasteful western suits set him apart from the usual rhinestone gaudiness seen on other male Country singers. He was born on December 22, 1921 in Huntington, West Virginia. He traded five trapped rabbits for his first guitar. At age 15 he won his first talent contest on a radio show in his home town. During World War II, he was stationed in the Philippines. He often performed over the radio in Manila. After he was discharged from the Military, he soon became a regular on the Wheeling Jamboree. He also played on the popular Country and Western radio show from 1946 to 1954. In 1948, he signed a recording contract with King Records in Cincinnati, Ohio. His first two recordings with King, "Pan American" and "Dog House Boogie," were Top 10 hits. "Slow Poke," recorded in 1952, was another notable King recording. Hawkshaw continued to record with King until 1953. After a few years with Columbia and RCA, he returned to King. In 1962 he recorded "Lonesome 7-7203." Sadly, he never saw his only #1 hit song top the record charts. On March 5, 1963, Hawkshaw and fellow Country stars, Patsy Cline and Cowboy Copas, were en route back to Nashville following a benefit concert in Kansas City. The plane crashed near Camden, Tennessee during a thunderstorm. There were no survivors. Fans around the world mourned the loss of three of Country music's legendary recording artists. Hawkshaw's wife, Country star
Jean Shepard , was pregnant with Hawkshaw's son at the time of the crash. Hawkshaw was only 41 years old.References
*McNeil, W.K. (1998). "Hawkshaw Hawkins." In "The Encyclopedia of Country Music." P. Kingsbury, Ed. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 232-233.
External links
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