Chris Hawkes

Chris Hawkes
Chris Hawkes
Background information
Birth name	Christopher Thomas Hawkes
Origin	Austin, Texas, USA
Genres	Pop rock Rock
Occupations	Singer-songwriter Guitarist Record Producer Recording Engineer
Instruments	Vocals Guitar
Years active	1998–present
Labels	unsigned
Associated acts	Redtag, Five Times August,The Color Gray
Website	Chris Hawkes

Chris Hawkes is a songwriter, singer, guitarist, recording engineer and producer.

He attended the University of North Texas in Denton Texas studying Art before deciding to pursue music and sound recording full time.

Music Performance

As a musician Chris Hawkes was first recorded and released on a 1998 compilation Garage Nights at Laser Trax released on Cannon Riggle Records.

Redtag:
In late 1999 Hawkes formed a band with fellow high school students, Daniel Loflin, Ben Drake and Aaron Cauble called Redtag. During his years in Denton at the University of North Texas Chris reformed Redtag several times.

Five Times August:
Hawkes departed from the usual role of frontman/songwriter to produce and play lead guitar for Five Times August with singer songwriter Brad Skistimas and Redtag drummer Cason Clifton. Skistimas had previously released solo recordings under the name Five Times August. The first album featuring Hawkes and Clifton was 2004's EP "Something Clever". In addition to performing lead guitar, bass, percussion, background vocals Chris also produced, engineered and mixed the album starting One Road Studio. The single "Better With You" was featured on MTV series Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County season one. Following the success of the release, the other member of Redtag, Jake Baxter, joined Five Times August. A full length 2005 follow up album "Fry Street", featuring performances and production by Hawkes, received numerous plays on cable and broadcast television. In 2007 tracks from "Something Clever" and "Fry Street" were compiled and released as "The Independent" breaking ground as an independent release available at Wal-mart.

The Color Gray:
In 2005 after disbanding from the singer of Five Times August, Hawkes and other members, also known as Redtag, formed The Color Gray. Hawkes wrote, engineered and produced 2005's self titled EP and the 2006 "Control" LP. The release of The Color Gray's full-length album "Control" was preceded with attention for the first album single entitled "Nothing To Lose". It received spins on commercial radio including KTBZ-FM The Buzz in Houston KLAQ "The Q" in El Paso KNCN "C101" in Corpus Christi KEYJ Rock 108 Abilene and an official playlist add in their own major market home area on KDGE The Edge Dallas. The Color Gray disbanded in late 2006.

Solo:
In 2007 Chris Hawkes released his first solo album "Guitar and Voice" MTV showed interest in Chris's work again featuring "Falling Into Doubt" on the popular series The Hills Episode 305 and Episode 417 The song was also featured on Animal Planet show "Jockey's" in the 2008 season.

Hawkes released a second independent album "Because I Feel That Way Too" in 2009. The sophomore release features a diverse roster of Hawkes's musician friends. Three tracks from the album, "Again", "Falling Into Doubt" and "Finally Free" were pre-loaded in AT&T smart phones. By late 2009 "Because I Feel That Way Too" was supported with commercial and independent radio play on 165+ stations in the U.S. and spurred national touring for the album.

While touring in 2010, Hawkes co-wrote and recorded "Mystery" with Annemarie Jensen (a.k.a Mary May Love of Copenhagen, Denmark) including the song on her debut album, "Melodies". It also started the initial recording of what became his third album, "Broken Record". "Broken Record" features a variety from guitar and string arrangements to a full blues band. Shortly after its release, "Mystery" was added to rotation on Denmark's most popular radio station, DR P4. Texas Music Magazine featured another track "From Love (Momma Song)" in their Winter 2012 issue.

Discography

• 1998: "Garage Nights at Laser Trax" (Cannon & Riggle)
• 2004: Something Clever
• 2005: Fry Street
• 2005: The Color Gray
• 2006: Control(Nico)
• 2007: The Independent
• 2007: Guitar and Voice
• 2009: Because I Feel That Way Too
• 2011: Broken Record

Record Producer/ Recording Engineer

Chris Hawkes graduated with a special training degree from the Dallas Sound Lab in Los Colinas, Texas in 2000.

Following an internship with Grammy Award Winning Producer Eric Delegard, Hawkes became lead engineer for the University of North Texas College of Music.

In 2003 Chris Hawkes started his independent recording efforts with One Road Studio by recording his own bands and other regional acts.

One of the early projects, Five Times August, received play on MTV popular show Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County during seasons one and two and later play on MTV, Fox, ABC, Oxygen and Lifetime. Efforts from The Color Gray were added to major market radio station playlists including KDGE in Dallas and KEYJ in Abilene. Hawkes's self produced solo record was featured on MTV popular show The Hills.

In 2006 Hawkes partnered with Disclive, a Dallas based recording company, as head engineer to record live performances. Bands to date include: 30 Seconds to Mars, Flyleaf, The Toadies, Cooder Graw, Spoonfed Tribe, Edgewater

2007 Hawkes collaborated with several acts co-writing producing and performing on albums for Killing Caroline, Lisa Apple and Faktion

While producing other projects, Hawkes collected a variety of musician friends and starting recording "Because I Feel That Way Too" in 2008. The album was completed and released in March 2009.

Hawkes then produced and performed on three albums for Austin based singer-songwriters, Zach Arrington, Colin de los Santos, and Philip Q. Morrow. All three featured cello and violin arrangements; a production style that first appeared on his own 2011 album, "Broken Record".

In mid 2011 Hawkes produced, performed and co-wrote with Miranda Dawn for her debut album, "Reason To Feel Alive". The majority of performances, both duo and solo acoustic, were recorded live to demonstrate the natural life of her emotive songwriting.

List of albums produced/engineered

• 2004: "Something Clever" - Five Times August
• 2004: "Leaving Stella" - Darby
• 2005: "Fry Street" - Five Times August
• 2005: "The Color Gray" - The Color Gray
• 2006: "Time Stands Still" - Crimson Soul
• 2006: "Control" - The Color Gray
• 2006: "Edgefest 15: Ripped" - 30 Seconds to Mars, Flyleaf
• 2006: "Acoustic Campfire with Rock 108" - KEYJ, Edgewater
• 2006: (unreleased EP) - Faktion
• 2006: "Exit 380: Live at Firewater" - Exit 380
• 2006: "Cooder Graw: Live at Firewater" - Cooder Graw
• 2006: "Spoonfed Tribe: Live at Firewater" - Spoonfed Tribe
• 2007: "Guitar and Voice" - Chris Hawkes
• 2007: "Life is a Cigarette" - Better Than Sex
• 2007: "Rock Show (Toadies album)" - The Toadies
• 2007: "Dartmyth" - Dartmyth
• 2007: "Life.Love.Travel" - Lance Sitton
• 2007: "The Independent (l.p.)" - Five Times August
• 2008: "Lisa Apple" - Lisa Apple
• 2008: "Killing Caroline" - Killing Caroline
• 2008: "Ignite What's Inside" - Faktion
• 2008: "The Rankin Twins" - The Rankin Twins
• 2008: "In Your Head/Waiting" - Dartmyth
• 2008: "Home Again" - Jeff Metil
• 2009: "Because I Feel That Way Too" - Chris Hawkes
• 2009: "Adam's Orchard" - Zach Arrington
• 2009: "Songland" - Colin de los Santos
• 2010: "The Rising Sun" - Philip Q. Morrow
• 2011: "Broken Record" - Chris Hawkes
• 2011: "Reason To Feel Alive" - Miranda Dawn

External links

• Chris Hawkes on Myspace
• One Road Studio Official site
• Chris Hawkes page at AustinMusic.com