Editor’s note: This article was originally published on June 18th, 2008, and has been updated with the news that Robbie Robertson has died at the age of 80.
“It’s orgy time!” From 1960 to 1963, those were Ronnie Hawkins’ famous opening lines during live shows with his backup band, The Hawks. Composed of many musicians throughout the late ’50s and early ’60s, The Hawks finally settled on a strong group: Levon Helm, drums; Robbie Robertson, guitar; Garth Hudson, organ, sax; Richard Manuel, piano; and Rick Danko on bass. All the musicians were capable of singing, yet they relied on Ronnie Hawkins as their front man and fearless leader.
Known for their fast-paced, high energy live shows, Ronnie and The Hawks gained a large following in every city they played. Rehearsing and performing for up to 10 hours a day was not unusual for these boys. Years of practice and live experience made The Hawks the tightest group of musicians during their time. In terms of musical skill they dominated anyone else in the rock and roll circuit; however, it took a few years to reach the respectability they deserved. Things started cooking when a young Robbie Robertson begun hanging around at shows in Toronto, changing the destiny of The Hawks forever.
Born July 5, 1943 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Robbie Robertson grew up on a Mohawk Indian reservation surrounded by music. His large family of cousins and uncles would influence his musical roots by playing mandolins, fiddles, and guitars for hours on end. By the mid ’50s, Robertson was staying up to the early hours of morning listening to Nashville radio stations broadcasting rhythm and blues into his Toronto living room. The same Dixieland musicians that influenced Hawks drummer Levon Helm, who grew up in Arkansas, were being plugged into Robertson’s soul. Just across the Canadian border rock and roll music was beginning to take shape throughout parts of New York, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Arkansas. Little did young Robertson know that he would soon become a large part of this rock and roll movement.
At age 15, Robertson had already begun to lend a hand to Ronnie and the Hawks, specifically when they took up residence in Toronto. Helm remembers: “He’d do anything to make himself useful — haul amps, help set up, run for coffee.” The band would stay in Toronto for months, playing weekly gigs at many downtown Toronto bars, before heading south to tour parts of Tennessee, Arkansas, and New York. These weekly gigs in the Great White North afforded Robertson the opportunity to become close with members of The Hawks, including Hawkins himself. Eventually Robertson’s band were able to open for the hugely popular Hawks.
Hawkins believed in Robertson, even though he was 15 years young: “‘The Hawk told anyone that this kid Robbie was going to be one of the biggest stars in the business some day.’” By the age of 16, Robertson was ripping through Hawkins’ fast paced tunes, playing bass in The Hawks. Naturally a lead guitar player, Robertson learned bass to stay in the band. He was given a two week period to practice and that is exactly what he did. For 12 hours a day Robbie played the hell out of his bass until his fingers, “‘were hard as nails.’” After a quick rehearsal, Hawkins turned to Robbie and spoke: “‘Son you got the job. Stick with us, and you’ll get more nookie than you can eat.’”
Robertson had made it. From 1960 to ’65 The Hawks spread more musical carnage across Eastern Canada and the United States than most musicians can only dream of, playing in every bombed out, dingy bar in any town they could find their share of trouble. Although the road was alluring for this rough and tumble bunch, weekly gigs in Toronto allowed The Hawks to achieve a celebrity status. Long night parties that usually included orgies, drug use, and excessive drinking became legendary tales but The Hawks were beginning to lose sight of their lifelong goals.
