Erskine Hawkins & His Orchestra
Jazz trumpeter Erskine Hawkins was born in Birmingham, Alabama July 26, 191… Read Full Bio ↴Jazz trumpeter Erskine Hawkins was born in Birmingham, Alabama July 26, 1914. A talented high-note trumpeter and a popular bandleader, Erskine Hawkins was nicknamed “The 20th Century Gabriel.” He learned drums and trombone before switching to trumpet when he was 13, and was one of five inaugural inductees into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame in 1978. He also became on of the principal influences on a young rhythm and blues piano player named Ray Charles.
While attending the Alabama State Teachers College, he became the leader of the college band, the Bama State Collegians. They went to New York in 1934, became the Erskine Hawkins Orchestra, started making records in 1936 and by 1938 were quite successful. The first formal appearance of Erskine Hawkins and his Orchestra was in 1938 when the band won a recording contract with RCA Victor. However, the inception of the band had occurred two years earlier when it was known as The 'Bama State Collegians.
Hawkins, whose biggest influences were Louis Armstrong records, skipped out on a 'Bama State Collegians band trip to New Jersey so he could play some gigs in New York. At one of these early shows, Armstrong surprised him backstage at the Apollo Theater. From then on, whenever Hawkins came to New York, Armstrong would also take the stage at the Savoy Ballroom, where Hawkins' dance band attracted a loyal following.
Hawkins had three major hits (”Tuxedo Junction,” “After Hours” and “Tippin' In”) and was able to keep the big band together all the way until 1953. Hawkins' band was so popular that he was able to retain a permanent roster of players, most of whom were from Birmingham. The style was “down-home” and blues-inspired, but it could still swing and lay down a great dance beat. Two of his chief arrangers were pianist Avery “After Hours” Parrish and trumpeter Sammy Lowe. (See Sammy Lowe's biography, also on this website.) Baritone saxophone soloist Haywood Henry, who stayed with Hawkins until the band broke up in 1953, anchored the music securely in a solid harmony. During the band's heyday, the 1930s and 40s, Hawkins featured vocalists Ida James, Delores Brown and Della Reese. ROCKIN ROLLERS JUBILEE (1938) was ahead of its time, but TUXEDO JUNCTION (1939) became the anthem of American GIs in Europe during the early years of WWII.
In 1978, Erskine Hawkins became one of the first five artists inducted into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame. He died in 1993 in Willingboro, New Jersey. Hawkins was an exact contemporary of another Birmingham jazz great, Sun Ra.
While attending the Alabama State Teachers College, he became the leader of the college band, the Bama State Collegians. They went to New York in 1934, became the Erskine Hawkins Orchestra, started making records in 1936 and by 1938 were quite successful. The first formal appearance of Erskine Hawkins and his Orchestra was in 1938 when the band won a recording contract with RCA Victor. However, the inception of the band had occurred two years earlier when it was known as The 'Bama State Collegians.
Hawkins, whose biggest influences were Louis Armstrong records, skipped out on a 'Bama State Collegians band trip to New Jersey so he could play some gigs in New York. At one of these early shows, Armstrong surprised him backstage at the Apollo Theater. From then on, whenever Hawkins came to New York, Armstrong would also take the stage at the Savoy Ballroom, where Hawkins' dance band attracted a loyal following.
Hawkins had three major hits (”Tuxedo Junction,” “After Hours” and “Tippin' In”) and was able to keep the big band together all the way until 1953. Hawkins' band was so popular that he was able to retain a permanent roster of players, most of whom were from Birmingham. The style was “down-home” and blues-inspired, but it could still swing and lay down a great dance beat. Two of his chief arrangers were pianist Avery “After Hours” Parrish and trumpeter Sammy Lowe. (See Sammy Lowe's biography, also on this website.) Baritone saxophone soloist Haywood Henry, who stayed with Hawkins until the band broke up in 1953, anchored the music securely in a solid harmony. During the band's heyday, the 1930s and 40s, Hawkins featured vocalists Ida James, Delores Brown and Della Reese. ROCKIN ROLLERS JUBILEE (1938) was ahead of its time, but TUXEDO JUNCTION (1939) became the anthem of American GIs in Europe during the early years of WWII.
In 1978, Erskine Hawkins became one of the first five artists inducted into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame. He died in 1993 in Willingboro, New Jersey. Hawkins was an exact contemporary of another Birmingham jazz great, Sun Ra.
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08After Hours - Digitally Mastered - September 1991Erskine Hawkins & His OrchestraErskine Hawkins & His Orchestra
09Tippin' In - Digitally Mastered - September 1991Erskine Hawkins & His OrchestraErskine Hawkins & His Orchestra
12Rockin' Rollers' Jubilee (Remastered 1989)Erskine Hawkins & His OrchestraErskine Hawkins & His Orchestra
15Don't Cry Baby - Digitally Mastered - September 1991Erskine Hawkins & His OrchestraErskine Hawkins & His Orchestra
19Soft Winds - Digitally Mastered - September 1991Erskine Hawkins & His OrchestraErskine Hawkins & His Orchestra
20Sweet Georgia Brown - Digitally Mastered - September 1991Erskine Hawkins & His OrchestraErskine Hawkins & His Orchestra
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Erskine Hawkins & His Orchestra Lyrics
Blue Sea I don't want you, but I'd hate to lose you You've…
Don't Cry Baby Cry, Baby, Cry Larry Clinton If teardrops could flood an oce…
Five O'clock Whistle You're "hep" to what's buzzin', cousin; You're up on what's …
Hey Pretty Baby You ask me why I'm always teasing you, You hate…
Holiday for Swing Oh, it's a long, long while from May to December But…
I Don't Want to Talk Without You All our friends keep knocking at the door They've asked me…
I Know A Secret I'll follow my secret heart My whole life through I'll keep …
Night After Night Oh last night Oh yeah Oh last night Oh yeah…
No Use Squakin Ain't no use, baby I'm leaving the scene Ain't no use, baby …
Shower Sun showers Never mind the rain The sun will shine again Thr…
St. Louis Blues I hate to see that evening sun go down I hate…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Erskine Hawkins:
Carry Me Back To Old Virginny Carry me back to old Virginny, There's where the cotton and…
Coquette Hear me, why you keep fooling Little coquette, making fun o…
Dear Old Southland Dear old Southland I hear you calling me. And I long…
Dear Old Southlaqnd Dear old Southland I hear you calling me. And I long…
I Don't Want to Walk Without You All our friends keep knocking at the door They've asked me…
I Hadn't Anyone 'Till You I hadn't anyone till you, I was a lonely one 'til…
i hadn't anyone till you I hadn't anyone till you, I was a lonely one 'til…
more than you know Whether you are here or yonder, Whether you are false…
Tuxedo Junction Feelin' low Rockin' slow I want to go Right back where I bel…
Whispering Grass You promised me, green grass, not to tell what you…
Who'S Sorry Now Who's Sorry Now? Who's Sorry Now? Who's heart is aching for …
We have lyrics for these tracks by His Orchestra:
Adios Maraquita Linda Te quiero, dijiste tomando mis manos entre tus manitas de bl…
Blues for Two Five foot two, eyes of blue But oh, what those five…
Carioca Ela é carioca, ela é carioca Basta o jeitinho dela andar Nem…
Don't You Do It You had plenty money 1922 You let other women make a…
Emaline Don't you hear my heart whisper thru your window, Emaline? I…
Fly Fly me to the moon Let me play among the stars Let…
I Don't Know Don't you know I care Or don't you care to…
I Hear A Rhapsody And when I hear you call So softly to me I…
I'm Sitting On Top Of The World I'm sitting on top of the world Just rolling along, Just…
If Dreams Come True If dreams come true I'll be with you I love that smile…
It Don't Mean a Thing It don't mean a thing If it ain't got that swing (doo…
Jersey Bounce They call it that Jersey bounce A rhythm that really counts …
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Oh the weather outside is frightful But the fire is so…
let's get together I'm so tired of this dull routine Up to town on…
Moanin' Moanin' low, my sweet man, I love him so Though he's…
Oh Marie Here while the day is fading, Dear you I'm serenading, My lo…
Posin Sposin' I should fall in love with you, Do you…
Remember The night was filled with sweet surrender I had a million…
Rock House Blues Lace up your boots and we'll broom on down To a…
Rock It For Me I heard it came to town A new kind of rhythm Spread…
Rudolph The Rednosed Reindeer You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen Comet and…
Russian Lullaby Aka Lullaby Mm Mm Every night you'll hear her croon A Russian lullaby …
Serenade Serenade in the night 'neath a fair lady's window Just the…
Since I Since I met you baby my whole life has changed Since…
Sing a Song of Sunbeams Give me a song that's robust Feeling the way I am Any…
Singin' In The Rain I'm singin' in the rain, just singin' in the rain What…
Stompin' at the Savoy Savoy, the home of sweet romance Savoy, it wins you at…
The Wedding Samba Way down in the land of the Rio Grande When people…
Unforgettable Unforgettable That's what you are Unforgettable Tho' near or…
What Are You Doing New Year's Eve When the bells all ring and the horns all blow And…
what is there to say Is it true what they say about Dixie? Does the…
You Feel It You make me feel so young You make me feel as…