Simply Great
Kevman | White Plains, NY USA | 01/22/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I like Hawkins work alot, especially when he is alone on guitar and this one is probably my favorite. He takes great classics by folks like Hank Williams, Sam Cooke, Otis Reding and does wonderful versions of them. Makes them his songs in a really nice soulful way. Actually does the definitive version of some of these classics and I did not think that would have been possible. This is a great one."
The Great Busker of Venice Beach
thisisgibbie | Indianapolis | 08/07/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The late-Ted Hawkins was the great busker of Venice Beach.
This recording has quite a broad collection from "North to Alaska", "Your Cheatin Heart", "Bring it on Home to Me", "Happy Days" and "Sweet Jesus".
He had a voice similar to Sam Cooke, yet more personal. He interprets every song as though he just wrote it and is singing to the listener.
This man had a hard life, though through the wash, it yielded one of the sweetest singing voices of our times with a lot of personal depth.
In my book, he is one of the most important American singers of the last 30 years."
A soul master
Jostein Berntsen | Porsgrunn, Norway | 05/12/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The songs from Venice Beach were one of many high points in this marvellous artist's career. I started with the LP release of 'Watch your step' many years ago and was a fan of it for many years, and then I was delighted to hear the two Venice Beach LP's which are among my favourite records. This man's voice was and is heavenly and his interpretations are genuinly his. Many of his best are here. I especially love his version of 'San Fransisco' which he ad-libs to great ending."