Music by heart with soul

June 06, 2008 11:11 am

— Danie M. Huffman
wdreporter2@yahoo.com
Randy Hawkins, 32, an acoustic guitar player, singer and songwriter is making waves throughout North Texas with his new CD Two Dollar Tour.
The CD contains his personal new favorite collection of all original songs and two co-written ballots including Must Have Been Crazy, What Matters Is Us, More Than Just a Man (Grandpa’s Song), Get Out, Simply Love, Two Dollar Tour, Completely Unimpressed and This Love Can.
Hawkins began his singing and songwiting career as a teen when he picked up a guitar and taught himself how to play.
He performs regularly for a steady following of fans at Keefer’s in Mineral Wells, the Weatherford VFW and Skinny’s on Palo Pinto Street. He won the 99.5 The Wolf Pick ‘N Party at 8.0 and also does live gigs at the Railhead.
Although his music is far from pop, his all-time favorite singers are Michael Bolton and Luther Vandross. Hawkins claims he is more Texas Country with a bit of rock.
“I knew every single song by Luther Vandross,” Hawkins said.
The artist who had the greatest impact on Hawkins is Garth Brooks.
“The first time I saw him perform, I was pretty impresed,” he said. “As a writer, he’s a huge inspiration.”
His favorite song he wrote and performs is Heartaches and Whiskey. He claims it’s the most meaningful, and wrote it after his divorce.
He said he writes about people and personal experiences in his life.
“It’s all about my own life,” he said. “I play from the soul, [and] now is the time for me to make it happen.”
His latest CD was produced at Pier Branch Studios in Liberty Hill, Texas, but the business man in Hawkins has also produced for himself at his personal studio.
He attended school in Lampasas and moved to Nashville when he
turned 19.
“I had gone to UT in Austin right after high school and waited tables through some of the college days, until I got a job with Pepsi,” Hawkins said. “After about seven months in the Austin Pepsi plant, I asked to transfer to Nashville, because my sister lives in Murfreesboro. After a year there, I came back home broken
and bruised.”
He admits his songs are personal for him. He chose music because he truly enjoys it.
“I do it for the love of it, not for the fame,” he said.
He currently manages Cowboy Thangs on Palo Pinto Street and is busy setting up stepping stones for his company, Red Hot Productions, so he can market other artists.
In his spare time, Hawkins enjoys anything outdoors, including camping and visits to the lake.
He admits he’s a computer geek and loves MySpace.
Hawkins has an Internet schedule and site which can be accessed at www.myspace/randyhawkins.
His next appearance is June 13 at Skinny’s, followed by a performance June 21 at the VFW. He will also do a live performance July 1 and 8 in Lampasas at the Spring Ho Show Down.

CUTLINE for pic of kids (Black and white):
oldest to youngest - Tyler Alexander 10, Jake Alexander 9, Haley Hawkins 5 , Riley Hawkins 4, and Ivy Hawkins 3.