Chesney Hawkes touring star Q&A  

Round & About

Liz Nicholls chats to musician & dad Chesney Hawkes who is touring the UK in March with his new album Living Arrows 

Q. You’re a devoted dad. Let’s start with your musical family! “My favourite subject: my kids! My three are all in their early 20s and late teens now. My youngest is 19 and he’s actually my lead guitar player. He’s on the road with me, which is one of my favourite things in life. My daughter is 22 and she’s just graduated from St Andrews in animal behaviour. I’m very proud — I feel like I’ve almost completed parenthood!” 

Q. You grew up around guitars and rock-and-roll. What has parenthood taught you? “I grew up in a very rock-and-roll household, very liberal, crazy, things that would make your hair curl. We didn’t have many rules, put it that way! My wife comes from a more strict background, so we meet in the middle. It works for us.” 

Q. You’re back from LA to Blighty, how’s that? “It’s really good to be back. My life in LA involved a lot of travelling, long-haul flights, being away from my wife. I got fed up with that. Now we’re all together in the UK and I couldn’t be happier. I’m pretty close to where I did my paper round in Surrey when I was a kid. So full circle.” 

Q. You went to school in Sunningdale; did it nurture your music talent? “Not really. I had one teacher who taught me a few chords early on, but the school didn’t run a music course because not enough people wanted to do it. So everything I learned came from my dad, his musician friends, and me locking myself away in the studio.” 

Q. Do you think schools should do more for creative kids? “Definitely. I don’t think the arts are taken seriously enough. Creativity moulds your personality and it’s therapeutic. Politicians don’t realise how important it is. If you don’t let a child be creative, it’s a huge missed opportunity, whether it’s music, art, or whatever, you have to have that, I think, it’s so, so important.” 

Q. Your new album Living Arrows sounds incredibly personal… “This album has been a labour of love. I produced it with my friend Jake Gosling; he discovered Ed Sheeran and has worked with One Direction, Sam Smith, Paloma Faith, loads of big artists. He created a safe space for me to bring songs I’d written that were very cathartic and therapeutic. You get to a certain age and think, ‘I need to write about that.’ Songwriting helped me through those things. Living Arrows comes from a Kahlil Gibran poem, On Children, about pulling your bow back and letting your children go. I’m definitely at that stage. But it also applies to songs; you put your life into them, then you let them go and find their own emotional connections.” 

Q. Has Big Brother brought you a new audience? “Definitely. I’ve had a lot of younger people coming to gigs since Big Brother. The range now is amazing, from 18-year-olds to 80-year-olds. It’s very eclectic.” 

Q. What’s the strangest fan request you’ve ever had? “I’ve signed a lot of body parts over the years! Plenty of odd requests — it’s just part of that world.” 

Q. What’s the most rewarding message you’ve ever received from a fan? “It’s usually about the songs. My latest single Loud is about loss; I lost my best friend this year. It was tough, and releasing a record about loss at that moment was… interesting. When it started doing well on the Radio 2 playlist, I got messages from people all over the country saying the song helped them with their grief. It felt like a collective hug. It helped me in my grief, made me realise we’re not alone. That’s the power of music; those emotional connections.” 

Q. What’s your first memory of music? “Growing up in that musical household. My dad’s friends were all musicians. They’d have jam parties. My dad would take me to gigs and I’d peek through the wings watching him in his leather trousers with knickers being thrown at him! I never wanted to do anything else. My dad always says I came out singing – there was never a backup plan.” 

Q. Do you remember the first album you loved? “The Beatles. My dad’s collection was about 70% Beatles. I remember locking myself in the lounge, putting on The White Album, and falling in love. That’s when I knew what I wanted to do.” 

Q. Who were your musical heroes? “John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Later on, Prince, Stevie Wonder, Elvis Costello, Fleetwood Mac, Nik Kershaw… there are so many. I’m a real music consumer – I connect with music in the same way people connect with my songs.” 

Q. What format do you listen to music on now? “I love vinyl. I’ve got a big collection and I’ve got my kids into it. We’ve got a record player in the kitchen. I’m always telling them off for not putting the Prince albums back in their sleeves!” 

Q. If you had a magic wand, what invention would improve your life? “Teleportation. I wouldn’t want to be the guinea pig, but it would be amazing. Touring means you’re away in far-flung places and can’t get home. To teleport home for breakfast with the kids? Perfect.” 

Q. If you could perform with any musician, living or dead, who would it be? “Prince. Not sure he’d let me onstage, but that would be the pinnacle.” 

Q. Are you tired of people asking about The One and Only? “I’m not. If you’d asked me in the mid-90s, the answer might’ve been different, but these days we’re friends – me and the song. As soon as that intro starts, the crowd’s energy lifts. I’m proud of it. It’s a great record and it’s stood the test of time. I like playing it! We’re friends with benefits now!” 

Q. Do you celebrate Valentine’s Day? “Krissy and I carve out our own dates because we’re both so busy. If we’re together on Valentine’s Day we’ll go out, but it’s just another day really. We celebrate our love in our own way.”