Summary
In a recent episode of the podcast "Roots from LNER," host Jenny Falconer sat down with singer-songwriter Chesney Hawks, best known for his iconic 1991 hit "The One and Only." Hawks reflected on his early career, which began with a role in the film "Buddy's Song," where he caught the attention of the music industry with both his acting and musical talents.
Hawks reminisced about his whirlwind rise to fame at just 19 years old, a journey that included headlining arenas around the world with his brother, who served as his drummer. Despite the challenges of life on the road, including the monotony of traveling from hotel to venue, he maintained joyful memories of the experience. Famed for his upbeat personality, Hawks shared anecdotes of his carefree youth, notably a family holiday spent in the Algarve, Portugal, where he carved his name into rocks as a child and later found it again on a recent visit.
The conversation traversed various topics, including the familial influence on his music career, with his father being a member of the 60s band The Tremeloes. Falcons and Hawks also discussed their shared love for travel, with Hawks mentioning various holiday destinations and experiences, from the Maldives to American national parks, and plans to potentially visit Egypt with his family.
As the interview wrapped up, Hawks highlighted the success of his latest album, "Living Arrows," which has received significant radio play, marking a return to the spotlight after years in the industry. He discussed his upcoming tour, where he will perform both new music and his classic hits to fans across the UK.
Listeners can watch out for more from Hawks as he continues to blend his love for music with travel, while also engaging in opportunities that bring back nostalgia and joy from his younger years. For those eager to catch his live performances, details about his tour dates can be found on his official website.
Show Notes
From childhood summers on the beaches of the Algarve to chasing the Northern Lights on songwriting trips to Iceland, Chesney Hawkes has spent a lifetime shaped by movement, music and the road. In this episode of Routes from LNER, the singer joins Jenni on the train to Dundee to talk about growing up in a rock 'n' roll household, the whirlwind of pop stardom, and why travel has always fed his creativity.
Chesney reflects on a childhood surrounded by musicians, from learning piano on an instrument once owned by John Lennon to stepping over sleeping guests to get to the cereal cupboard. He shares memories of running wild as a "feral kid" during long family holidays in Portugal, and traces his journey from a first gig in a Brownie hut to starring alongside Roger Daltrey in Buddy's Song, the film that led to his breakout single "The One and Only" in 1991.
There's plenty of talk about travel too, from backpacking around the Seychelles and falling for the otherworldly landscapes of Iceland, to family trips to the Maldives and the Bahamas, and taking each of his three children on one-on-one holidays around Europe. Chesney also opens up about touring life, favourite haunts in Berlin and Munich, dropping his daughter off at St Andrews, and the renewed success of his latest album, Living Arrows, which has brought him back to Radio 2's A-list more than thirty years after his first hit.
lner.co.uk/destinations/travel-inspiration/podcast/
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