William Hawkins (songwriter and poet) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Hawkins
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William Hawkins and his taxi, 2009
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| Born | May 20, 1940 Ottawa, Ontario |
| Died | July 4, 2016 (aged 76) Ottawa, Ontario |
| Occupation | Poet, Songwriter and Performer |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Years active | 1963-1972; sporadically thereafter |
William Alfred Hawkins (born May 20, 1940 – died July 4, 2016) was a talented Canadian songwriter, poet, musician, and journalist. He was especially known for his work in the 1960s. He helped shape Canadian folk rock music and Canadian poetry. His most famous song is "Gnostic Serenade." The band 3's a Crowd first recorded this song.
Contents
William Hawkins: A Creative Life
William Hawkins had a very interesting journey in the world of arts. He started as a poet and then moved into music. Later, he took a break from the spotlight and worked as a taxi driver. But his love for creating never truly left him.
Early Days as a Poet
William Hawkins first loved poetry. In the summer of 1963, he went to a special writing course. This course was for young poets at the University of British Columbia. It was called the Vancouver 1963 Poetry Conference. Many famous poets like Allen Ginsberg were there.
- Hawkins started publishing his poems in 1964.
- He quickly became successful.
- Three of his poems were chosen for a well-known book called Modern Canadian Verse in 1967.
- He also hosted and took part in poetry readings. He met and read with important Canadian poets like Leonard Cohen.
Becoming a Songwriter and Musician
In 1965, Hawkins began his music career. He joined a band called The Children in Ottawa.
- Other members included Sneezy Waters and Bruce Cockburn.
- A music promoter named Harvey Glatt encouraged the band. He also told Hawkins to turn his poems into songs.
- The Children became popular in Ottawa. They often played at a place called Le Hibou Coffee House.
- Even though they never released their own record, they played big shows. They opened for famous bands like The Lovin' Spoonful and The Beach Boys.
- After one big show, Hawkins decided to stop performing live.
- His songs were later used in a movie soundtrack.
People have described Hawkins' music as "timeless." They say it has a "beautiful melancholy" feeling. His songs often showed deep feelings, sometimes sad, but also with a bit of dark humor.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, other artists made Hawkins' songs famous.
- David Wiffen sang his songs, both with the band 3's a Crowd and as a solo artist.
- Tom Rush recorded "Gnostic Serenade" in 1970.
- Esther Ofarim also recorded "Gnostic Serenade" in 1972.
A Break from the Spotlight
After his early success, William Hawkins decided to step away from music and publishing for a while. He chose a different path. For over 35 years, he worked as a taxi driver in Ottawa. He was very good at it and even bought his own taxi license.
Returning to His Passions
Slowly, William Hawkins came back to music and poetry.
- In 1997, he released an album called Dancing Alone. On this album, Hawkins sang his own songs. It also included versions of his songs by other bands.
- This album was a step towards a bigger project. In 2008, a special tribute album was released.
- In 2005, Hawkins published a collection of his poems called Dancing Alone: Selected Poems. It included old and new poems.
- He also released a small book of new poems in 2007.
In 2008, his old promoter Harvey Glatt helped create a two-CD tribute album. It was called Dancing Alone: Songs of William Hawkins.
- Many artists sang their own versions of Hawkins' songs.
- Famous musicians like Bruce Cockburn and Murray McLauchlan were part of this project.
- Many of these artists had worked with Hawkins back in the 1960s.
Hawkins continued to publish new poems.
- In 2010, he released Sweet & Sour Nothings.
- Another book, The William Hawkins Folio, came out in 2010. It showed his work and old news clippings.
- In 2015, a big book called The Collected Poems of William Hawkins was published. It contained all his poems.
- His last public performance was a reading from this collection in November 2015.
William Hawkins passed away in Ottawa on July 4, 2016. He left behind a wonderful collection of poems and songs.
