Hawkshaw Hawkins | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Harold Franklin Hawkins |
Also known as | "The Hawk" "Eleven Yards of Personality" |
Born | Huntington, West Virginia, U.S. | December 22, 1921
Died | March 5, 1963 Camden, Tennessee, U.S. | (aged 41)
Genres | Country, honky-tonk |
Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, musician |
Instrument | Guitar |
Years active | 1938–1963 |
Labels | King Records Columbia Records RCA Camden |
Harold Franklin "Hawkshaw" Hawkins (December 22, 1921 – March 5, 1963)[1] was an American country music singer popular from the 1950s into the early 1960s. He was known for his rich, smooth vocals and music drawn from blues, boogie and honky tonk. At 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 m) tall, Hawkins had an imposing stage presence, and he dressed more conservatively than some other male country singers. Hawkins died in the 1963 plane crash that also killed country stars Patsy Cline and Cowboy Copas. He was a member of the Grand Ole Opry and was married to country star Jean Shepard.