Search - Ted Hawkins, Michael Messer :: Nowhere to Run

Ted Hawkins has always been a figure on the periphery of the modern blues world, and Nowhere to Run does little to reposition him. The first two tracks feature reggae treatments that would not have disgraced Bob Marley, and only on track three do we get some down-home blues notes. After that is a string of songs that echo various soul and gospel singers, most notably Sam Cooke and Al Green. Hawkins wrote and performed very simple material and did it feelingly; this is no doubt part of his charm for his worldwide audience. For the rest, Hawkins combines reggae and folk traditions in a series of tunes that have a naïve charm, especially on such tracks as "Nursery Rhymes" and "Ding Dong Ding." Perhaps Hawkins is the true successor to Joseph Spence. That would put him closer to folk than blues, so if that's where you sit, this is for you. --Keith Shadwick