We’re thrilled to welcome Blues Legend Ernie Hawkins back to the SongSpace stage!
Ernest Leroy Hawkins was born in Pittsburgh PA in 1947. In the ’50’s he had a paper route, a beagle and a Roy Rodgers harmonica (which he still has somewhere). He first learned country guitar, mandolin, banjo and bones from a guy named Pete who worked on his Uncle’s farm. Ernie was already playing blues as a teenager when he heard a fellow passing through town play Reverend Gary Davis’ “Let Us Get Together”, and he was hooked! Somewhere along the way he earned a PhD in phenomenological psychology, but since the 1980’s he’s devoted himself to ragtime, the country blues, and players like Davis, Blind Willie McTell, Blind Blake, Willie Johnson, Skip James, John Hurt, Leadbelly…
Ernie’s played all across the United States, Canada, Japan and Europe for years, at every stop in the road from “A Prairie Home Companion” to Antone’s to the Madrid Jazz Festival. He appears on Maria Muldaur’s Grammy and Handy nominated and Indie Award winning album “Richland Woman Blues” and he’s played with blues greats such as Son House, Mance Lipscomb, Fred McDowell, Jim Brewer, Rev. Gary Davis and many others. He’s has been featured in SingOUT!, Fingerstyle Guitar, Dirty Linen, Acoustic Guitar, Blues Revue and Vintage Guitar magazines. In addition to “A Prairie Home Companion”, he’s appeared on “Mountain Stage” , “Woodsongs Old-Time Radio Hour” and XM radio.
“Ernie Hawkins is an important link in the unbroken chain of blues and gospel artists. His guitaristry and love of the style is incomparable. From the Rev. Gary Davis into the future with his own style Ernie is one of the special ones!” — Jorma Kaukonen
Ernie Hawkins
Saturday September 21, 2019
7:30pm
$15 advance, songspace.brownpapertickets.com
$20 at the door
$5 discount for students/reduced income.
First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh, Shadyside, 605 Morewood Avenue, Pgh., 15213. All ages; wheelchair accessible. For more information, 412.621.8008 or uusongspace@gmail.com or uusongspace.com.
