Interview with rock legend Dale Hawkins

By Ron Wynn

Delmar “Dale” Allen Hawkins is truly among the legends of rock ‘n’ roll. A fabulous guitarist and naturally soulful singer who grew up in Northern Louisiana, Hawkins became a national sensation in 1957 with the immortal song “Suzy Q,” both an R&B and pop hit. Though he had only one other Top 40 single with “La-Do-Dada” in 1958, he remained a popular touring attraction and later displayed his versatility in many other ways, from playing jazz, backing up the R&B and jazz diva Dinah Washington and doing doo-wop sessions with the Moonglows to producing Bruce Channel and the Five Americans. He’s now working on two projects, and played his first show in Nashville since the ‘70s August 21. A small portion of this interview previously ran in The Nashville City Paper.

Q: Who were the people that you admired growing up in North Louisiana?
A: We were so far isolated in the country and only had a radio, so I didn’t get to see a whole lot of people in the beginning. But I heard Bill Monroe and Jimmie Rodgers and Roy Acuff on the radio, and they immediately fascinated me. Later it was the blues and singers like Lightin’ Hopkins who could really tell a story. My sound is really like a natural meeting of
blues and bluegrass and country.

Q: You toured with every major name in rock ‘n’ roll history. We’re talking today on what is the 29th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death. What memories of him do you have?
A: I met Elvis right after he got out of the army. He was a very shy, very nice young man and wasn’t then quite the star he became later, even though he was already very popular. He had a charisma that you can’t even really put into words. When he hit that stage, the place just immediately changed, and no one wanted to be coming up there after him. I never was really that close to him, and didn’t know about all the other things happening around him, but he was truly special.

Q: How did you develop “Suzy Q” and did you have any idea it would become such an anthem?
A: I had actually been working on that song for several months, trying to get it just right. We went in late one night in the same studio where they did the Louisiana Hayride and cut seven takes of the song. It really wasn’t a case of a producer saying why don’t you try it this way or why don’t you change that up. We just kept running through it, and after the seventh take, we stopped. I didn’t even know which one they picked until I heard it coming out on the radio later. Once the song became a hit, Leonard (Leonard Chess, head of Chess and its subsidiary label Checker, where Hawkins eventually released the record) sat on it for weeks. Jerry Wexler at Atlantic heard it and he called me and asked if I had a deal. I told him that I didn’t. He later called Leonard and essentially told him to either put the record out or give it up. That’s how it got out.

Q: You were a white artist in the late ‘50s making records on a label known for its staple of black artists. You also became the first white performer to be a headliner at the Apollo, even before Buddy Holly. How did that feel?
A: It was no problem to me. I didn’t really think about anything else other than they were a tough audience. I saw that guy with the hook and knew I didn’t want that to happen to me. Those folks were tough on everybody. Being on Checker, I got a chance to hang out a little bit with Little Walter, Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters. It wasn’t like we were big friends, but they shared some secrets with me and they were very encouraging. It was a rather unique situation for the time. The great thing about being at the Apollo was meeting artists like Clyde McPhatter, who was fantastic. I saw him and it was an incredible experience.

Q: What type of person was Leonard Chess?
A: He was a very slick, very smart operator. You didn’t ever put anything over on him. He was a shrewd person as well. He knew the music, but he also knew what he wanted to make on things, so sometimes there was a dilemma.

Q: You did a lot of different things during the ‘60s, producing and doing background vocals as well as playing guitar with all kinds of artists.
A: Yes, as the scene changed I had to make some changes with it. I enjoyed everything that I did, and singing with the Moonglows was fantastic.

Q: You are now in the rockabilly hall of fame. Were you conscious that what you and people like Carl Perkins were doing would be so revolutionary?
A: Well, to be honest, no. We didn’t even really call it rockabilly. It was more country with a blues feel and backbeat to us. I don’t know how much we used that word in those days. The blues feeling was what really separated my music from some of the other people. I know that when you really got that beat down the right way and felt it, it would come out in the vocal.

Q: You’re still active today. Do you listen to a lot of the contemporary performers?
A: There’s a lot of talent around now. I’m not so sure about some other things. We didn’t have these consultants or focus groups around to pre-test our music. You put it out there, and if it didn’t sell, then you moved on to the next one. I guess it’s much more of a business in the corporate sense. I see and hear things every now and then that really interest me. Before you called, I was watching that Trace Adkins video (for “Swing”) and there’s a lot of energy there, a lot going on. They didn’t make many videos when I started. The productions are very elaborate. As far as the music, with the exception of some of the country artists, a lot of it doesn’t seem quite as real or interesting to me, but that’s the perspective of an old man.

Dale, thanks for taking this time. It’s been an honor, especially for someone who had a seven-inch version of your original hit for many years.

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