Ted Hawkins

**Ted Hawkins** (October 28, 1936 – January 1, 1995) was an American singer-songwriter born in Biloxi, Mississippi. He was an enigmatic figure for most of his career. He split his time between his adopted hometown of Venice Beach, California, where he was a mostly anonymous street performer, and Europe and Australia, where he and his songs were better known and well received in clubs and small concert halls. (read more on Wikipedia)

## Links to Kershaw

Hawkins achieved cult status among fans around the world, but was usually to be found playing guitar and singing, while sitting on a milk-crate, entertaining passers-by in Santa Monica, California. He was often rescued from this fate over the years, by enthusiastic record producers and even by Andy Kershaw, who championed his cause in Britain.

Kershaw encouraged Hawkins to come to the United Kingdom, and he moved to the resort town of Bridlington in 1986 and enjoyed his first taste of commercial musical success, touring Europe and Asia. However, after four years in England, in 1990 he was deported back to the United States by the British Government, ostensibly on drug related charges although Hawkins later dismissed this by saying the reason was simply *"I was having visa problems...they deported me. My time ran out. England is a good place. It’s just that I had a lot of bills back home and I hadn’t seen my family. I had to get back home."*

Hawkins did four sessions for Kershaw's programme throughout the 80's and his track Cold And Bitter Tears with a duet with Billy Bragg, was one of the songs that Kershaw compiled for the 1988 album, Great Moments Of Vinyl History.

## Sessions

All sessions available on The Kershaw Sessions *(Strange Roots, CD, 1995)*

1. Recorded at Ted's house in Los Angeles: 1986-04-05. First Broadcast: 17 April 1986. Repeated: Kershaw Tapes, Andy Kershaw Podcast Episode 19

* Cold And Bitter Tears / Bring It Home Daddy

2. Recorded at Sunset Marquis Hotel, LA: 1986-06-26. First Broadcast: 10 July 1986. Repeated: Andy Kershaw Podcast Episode 19

* Ladder Of Success / Sorry You're Sick / Bad Dog / Happy Hour

3. Recorded: 1986-10-02. First Broadcast: 02 October 1986

* Watch Your Step / Daytime Friends / When I See / All I Have To Offer You Is Me

4. Recorded: 1987-11-05. First Broadcast: 12 November 1987. Repeated: 28 January 1988

* Just One Look / Bring It Home Daddy / Happy Hour / Today I Started Loving You Again

5. Recorded: 1989-08-03. First Broadcast: 20 August 1989

* Who Do You Love / Dollar Tree / Ain't Got Nothing Yet / No Other Love For Me / Nowhere To Run

## Other Shows Played

1985
* 31 October 1985: Watch Your Step (Acoustic Version) (LP- Watch Your Step) Rounder
* 05 December 1985: Sorry You're Sick (LP - Watch Your Step) Rounder
* 26 December 1985: Watch Your Step (LP - Watch Your Step) Rounder
* 26 December 1985: Sorry You're Sick (LP - Watch Your Step) Rounder

   1986
* 02 January 1986: If You Love Me (LP - Watch Your Step) Rounder
* 03 April 1986: Somebody Have Mercy (cassette - "On The Boardwalk" At Venice Beach, CA) Not On Label
* 10 April 1986: I Got What I Wanted (LP - On The Boardwalk (The Venice Beach Tapes)) American Activities
* 12 April 1986 (Saturday Live): Peace & Happiness (LP - Watch Your Step) Windows On The World
* 12 April 1986 (Saturday Live): Cold & Bitter Tears (acoustic performance)
* 12 April 1986 (Saturday Live): Bring It Home Daddy (acoustic performance)
* 01 May 1986: He Will Break Your Heart (LP - On The Boardwalk (The Venice Beach Tapes)) American Activities
* 12 June 1986: San Francisco (cassette - "On The Boardwalk" At Venice Beach, CA) Not On Label
* 31 July 1986: Don't Lose Your Cool (LP - Watch Your Step) Windows On The World
* 07 August 1986: The Lost Ones (LP - Watch Your Step) Windows On The World
* 14 August 1986: Don't Lose Your Cool (LP - Watch Your Step) Windows On The World
* 04 September 1986: Quiet Place (LP - On The Boardwalk (The Venice Beach Tapes)) American Activities
* 11 September 1986: Country Road (cassette - "On The Boardwalk" At Venice Beach, CA) Not On Label
* 25 September 1986: Put In A Cross (LP - Watch Your Step) Windows On The World
* 21 October 1986 (John Peel): Watch Your Step (single) Windows On The World
* 28 October 1986 (John Peel): Stop Your Crying (LP - Watch Your Step) Windows On The World
* 05 November 1986 (John Peel): North To Alaska (LP - On The Boardwalk (The Venice Beach Tapes)) American Activities

1987
* 26 March 1987: Happy Hour (LP - Happy Hour) Windows On The World
* 26 March 1987: Bad Dog (LP - Happy Hour) Windows On The World
* 23 April 1987: Happy Hour (LP - Happy Hour) Windows On The World

1995
* 21 May 1995: Daytime Friend (CD - The Kershaw Sessions) Strange Roots
* 21 May 1995: Bad Dog (CD - The Kershaw Sessions) Strange Roots

1998
* 02 March 1998: There Stands The Glass (CD - The Final Tour) Evidence
* 09 March 1998: Bad Dog (CD - The Final Tour) Evidence
* 30 March 1998: There Stands The Glass (CD - The Final Tour) Evidence
* 11 May 1998: The Lost Ones (CD - The Final Tour) Evidence

2002
* 14 June 2002: Baby (v/a CD - The Soul Of Money Records) Kent Dance

2003
* 16 November 2003: Bad Dog (CD - The Kershaw Sessions) Strange Roots

2022
* Andy Kershaw Podcast Episode 14: Watch Your Step (album - Watch Your Step) Rounder

## External Links

* Wikipedia
* Discogs
* Obituary