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Culturally Speaking 01-10-07
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January 10, 2007 Oliver Ragsdale, Jr. Culturally Speaking Dr. Rudolph V. Hawkins Well-known to many in Detroit and beyond as Rudy, for more than four decades Rudy Hawkins has been a Minister of Music, a gospel musician, arranger and vocalist, a studio musician, composer, Music Director for stage plays such as “Black Nativity”, “God’s Trombone” and “Mama I Want to Sing”, founder and Director of the award winning and internationally renown Rudy Hawkins Singers. Today he shares some insights on his career, the music he makes and how he makes it. Culturally Speaking: What projects in your career would most surprise people? Rudy Hawkins: I worked with Cab Calloway and his daughter at Kennedy Center and performed with Josephine Baker, as her boyfriend Joe, in a show at the Fisher Theater. I also wrote the background vocal arrangements for that show. CS: What are some of your greatest milestones or achievements? RH: A tour to Israel and becoming a singer sensation in that country. Everywhere we toured, I was asked to sing several more selections than programmed. I performed in Japan in the early ‘70s before it was fashionable to tour that country and I performed with Mahalia Jackson (her last concert tour) on Tokyo television. Performing on the stage of Radio City Music Hall with Harry Belafonte, Neil Diamond, Bill Cosby and a host of other stars in a grand variety show with the “Mama I Want to Sing” cast was also a highlight. CS: What is one of the challenges of being a creative artist, arranger and composer? RH: Writing music for a role or character for a specific actor. That’s the old school way of composing and arranging when all of the songs were written for a specific artist. I still prefer to write this way, but casts are always changing and it is getting more difficult to write for just one person. CS: What does it take to be a creative person? RH: God given ability and school enhanced talent. I think that experience is the greatest teacher and a major reason why we all need teachers. I love being around our seniors. They will teach you a whole lot! CS: Since you’ve been in the business for awhile, what are your biggest disappointments or changes that you would like to see? RH: My biggest disappointment is the Business of Music in the US. It’s very hard. And we are loosing so much of our music. An important part of our musical culture tradition of hymns, spirituals, etc. are not being taught or performed as they once were. Out of sight out of mind they say. I’m also concerned with the state of Black theater. When I was beginning my career, Black Theatre was coming into its own. Now, there are so many shows that come through town, but they’re not like the Ron Milner, Langston Hughes and Hansberry classics. CS: What is the significance of your upcoming Visiting Professorship at Michigan State University School of Music? RH: I’m working with Rodney Whitaker, a great musician and collaborator in the presentation of music from Duke Ellington’s Sacred Music Concerts. I’ve written several special arrangements of the music and am excited to hear what I wrote. Also, the opportunity to work with such a talented group of young people. They are so eager and excited to learn. It’s like pitchers waiting to be filled with some of my experience. Each time I work with Rodney it’s like magic. This kind of work, at colleges and universities and public performances of historic works, helps the music to thrive and survive! CS: What’s in your future? RH: When I find the right text and the perfect writer, I want to write a gospel opera! A Concert of Duke Ellington’s Sacred Music featuring the MSU Vocal Ensembles and Jazz Band I with special guests under the direction of Rodney Whitaker and Dr. Rudolph V. Hawkins will be performed Saturday, January 20 at 8:00 PM at the Historic First Congregational Church in Detroit (Woodward at Forest). For tickets call 313/870-1680. See you at the show, in the classroom and next week at Culturally Speaking.
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