Chris Hawkes | |
|---|---|
| Chris Hawkes Chris Hawkes | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Christopher Thomas Hawkes |
| Genres | Rock Americana Pop rock |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter Guitarist Record Producer Recording Engineer |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals Guitar |
| Years active | 1998–present |
| Labels | Self-released |
| Website | Chris Hawkes |
Chris Hawkes is a songwriter, singer, guitarist, recording engineer and producer. He teamed up with Miranda Dawn forming the duo Dawn and Hawkes. As a duo they took part in season 6 of the American series The Voice.
He attended the University of North Texas in Denton Texas where he studied visual art and lives in Austin, Texas, USA
As a musician Chris Hawkes was first recorded and released on a 1998 compilation Garage Nights at Laser Trax released on Cannon Riggle Records.
In late 1999 Hawkes formed a band with fellow high school students called Redtag and continued to perform with college friends while attending the University of North Texas in Denton, TX.[1]
Hawkes switched roles of frontman/songwriter to produce and play lead guitar for Five Times August a previously solo project of singer/songwriter Brad Skistimas. Hawkes first produced and performed for 2004's EP "Something Clever",[2] with Redtag drummer Cason Clifton on drums, and started One Road Studio.[3] The single "Better With You" was featured on MTV series Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County season one. A full length 2005 follow up album "Fry Street", with performance and production by Hawkes,[4][5] also included Redtag bassist Jake Baxter[6] and received more play on cable and broadcast television.[7] In 2007 tracks from "Something Clever" and "Fry Street" were compiled and released as "The Independent" breaking ground as an independent release available at Walmart.
In 2005 Hawkes and other members, also known as Redtag, departed Five Times August and renamed themselves The Color Gray[7] releasing 2005's self-titled EP and 2006 Control LP.[8] The release of The Color Gray's full-length album Control was preceded with the single "Nothing To Lose" receiving spins on commercial rock radio KTBZ-FM, KLAQ, KNCN, KEYJ and playlist rotation on KDGE The Edge Dallas.
In 2007 Chris Hawkes released his first solo acoustic album "Guitar and Voice"[9] MTV featured "Falling Into Doubt" on the popular series The Hills Episode 305[10] and Episode 417[11] The song was also featured on Animal Planet show "Jockey's" in the 2008 season.
Hawkes released a second independent album Because I Feel That Way Too in 2009. The sophomore release features a larger roster of Hawkes's musician friends. Three tracks from the album, "Again", "Falling Into Doubt" and "Finally Free" were pre-loaded in AT&T smart phones.[12] By late 2009, Because I Feel That Way Too was supported with commercial and independent radio play on 165+ stations in the U.S. and spurred national touring for the album.[13]
While touring in 2010, Hawkes co-wrote and recorded "Mystery" with Annemarie Jensen (a.k.a. Mary May Love of Copenhagen, Denmark) including the song on her debut album, Melodies[14] and his third album, Broken Record. Shortly after its release, Mystery was added to rotation on Danish popular radio station,[15][16] DR P4. Texas Music magazine featured another track from Broken Record, "From Love (Momma Song)", in their winter 2012 issue.[17]
Hawkes began touring, performing and co-writing with, singer-songwriter, Miranda Dawn. She released her debut acoustic album, Reason to Feel Alive, with performance and production by Hawkes, in 2011. Dawn was recognized as a finalist in the Kerrville Folk Festival New Folk songwriting competition and performed with Hawkes at the festival in May 2012. While touring and writing together, Dawn and Hawkes, recorded and released a collaborative album titled Golden Heart in June 2012.
In 2013, the duo auditioned for season 6 of the American music competition series The Voice
Chris Hawkes graduated with an audio engineering degree from the Dallas Sound Lab in Los Colinas, Texas in 2000.
Following an internship with Grammy Award Winning Producer Eric Delegard, Hawkes became an engineer for the University of North Texas College of Music.
In 2003 Chris Hawkes started his independent recording efforts with One Road Studio by recording his own bands and other regional acts.
One of the early projects, Five Times August, received play on MTV popular show Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County during seasons one and two and later play on MTV, Fox, ABC, Oxygen and Lifetime. Efforts from The Color Gray were added to major market radio station playlists including KDGE in Dallas and KEYJ in Abilene. Hawkes's self produced solo record was featured on MTV popular show The Hills.
In 2006 Hawkes partnered with Disclive, a Dallas based recording company, as head engineer to record live performances of: Thirty Seconds to Mars, Flyleaf, The Toadies, Sonic Youth, Cooder Graw, Spoonfed Tribe, and Edgewater.
2007 Hawkes collaborated with several acts, producing and performing, while co-writing with Lisa Apple, Killing Caroline, The Rankin Twins and Faktion
While producing other projects, Hawkes recruited a variety of musician friends and starting recording "Because I Feel That Way Too" in 2008. The album was completed and released in March 2009.
Hawkes then produced and performed on three albums for Austin based singer-songwriters, Zach Arrington, Colin de los Santos, and Philip Q. Morrow. All three featured cello and violin arrangements; a production element that first appeared on his own 2011 album, "Broken Record".
In mid-2011 Hawkes produced, performed and co-wrote with Miranda Dawn for her debut album, "Reason To Feel Alive". The majority of performances, both duo and solo acoustic, were recorded live to demonstrate the natural life in her emotive songwriting.
Dawn and Hawkes continued co-writing and touring together and released a collaborative effort, "Golden Heart", in June 2012. The album features production with their full band and more stripped down live acoustic sound.
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