Erskine Hawkins | |
|---|---|
 Hawkins circa 1940s | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Erskine Ramsay Hawkins |
| Born | July 26, 1914 Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. |
| Died | November 11, 1993 (aged 79) Willingboro Township, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz, blues |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer, bandleader |
| Instrument(s) | Trumpet |
| Years active | 1930s–1980s |
| Labels | Vocalion, RCA |
Erskine Ramsay Hawkins (July 26, 1914 – November 11, 1993)[1] was an American trumpeter and big band leader from Birmingham, Alabama, dubbed "The 20th Century Gabriel".[2] He is best remembered for composing the jazz standard "Tuxedo Junction" (1939) with saxophonist and arranger Bill Johnson. The song became a hit during World War II, rising to No. 7 nationally (version by the Erskine Hawkins Orchestra) and to No. 1 nationally (version by the Glenn Miller Orchestra). Vocalists who were featured with Erskine's orchestra include Ida James, Delores Brown, and Della Reese. Hawkins was named after Alabama industrialist Erskine Ramsay.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Deadwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Yanow, Scott. "Erskine Hawkins: Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved January 20, 2011.