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KAZ HAWKINS: HOPELESSLY DEVOTED TO ETTA JAMES

As I write this, here in the States, sometimes violent Black Lives Matter
protests are still taking place across our nation. The sensitivity to racial
inequality is very raw for African-Americans at this time in American
history. So a white Irish woman with a successful show and CD using

the music of a black American female blues icon caught my attention!

Belfast born Kaz Hawkins has always made clear her debt to blues
treasure Etta James. She has also been very open about her struggles
with childhood abuse, addiction, attempted suicide, and mental health.
Yet through it all, she’s still managed to build a very successful award winning
career in both music and broadcasting.

As we continue to face the long standing challenges brought to us via the global pandemic, I can’t think of
anyone I’d rather talk to about making it through this

crisis then Kaz Hawkins! And … she has a new CD
titled “Memories Of”.

This is what Kaz told me ………….

LL: So how did a girl from Northern Ireland come
to connect with American blues music?

KH: I auditioned for a UK TV talent show singing
"Secret Love" by Doris Day when I was 12. The
musical director told my grandmother to let me
listen to Etta James and she bought me a tape from
the market which had Etta singing ‘St Louis Blues’
on it. From that moment on I fell in love with that
kind of music. To let go of all of yourself in a song
was something I learned listening to Etta James &
Aretha Franklin.

LL: Let’s talk about your latest release “Memories
Of”. Can you tell us all about the show the music is from and what American blues artist Etta
James means to you?
B

KH: The album came through demand from fans of the show, at the merch desk they would ask "where
is the album with these songs" so we set about choosing the right songs from the show that would
celebrate Etta & some of the greatest songwriters in history in the genre. I used to imagine myself as

Etta when I was going through trauma. I would close my eyes and recreate what I thought she would be
like live. There was no YouTube back then, so my imagination ran wild as I only had her artwork to go
by. I grew up poor, so I didn't have a record collection, just that one tape for many years to go by.

LL: Here in the US we are experiencing a Black Lives Matter movement that is also rippling
thought the UK. Do you experience any hostility for being a white woman performing the music of
a famous black blues singer?

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