Chris Hawkey
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Christopher Allen Hawkey (born December 25, 1970) is an American
country music Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...
artist who is a member of the
Minneapolis Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...
band Rocket Club and is the vocalist of the Chris Hawkey Band. He lives in the
Twin Cities Twin cities are a special case of two neighboring cities or urban centres that grow into a single conurbation – or narrowly separated urban areas – over time. There are no formal criteria, but twin cities are generally comparable in stat ...
and also produces and co-hosts a sports radio morning show, ''Power Trip Morning Show''.


Personal life and radio

Chris Hawkey was born a twin whose brother didn't survive their birth and raised in Union City, Indiana, where he graduated from Mississinawa Valley High School. Starting in 1989 he attended a broadcasting school in
Dayton, Ohio Dayton () is a city in Montgomery County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of cities in Ohio, sixth-most populous city in Ohio, with a population of 137,644 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The Dayton metro ...
, pursuing careers in both radio and music. He got a job running a control board for the syndicated ''Howard Stern Show'' before getting hired in 2001 to co-host and produce the ''Power Trip Morning Show'' on KFAN Radio, a sports radio network. Hawkey produces the radio broadcast of the
Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. The Vikings compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. Founded in 1960 as ...
and is a
play-by-play In Broadcasting of sports events, sports broadcasting, a sports commentator (also known as a sports announcer or sportscaster) provides a real time (media), real-time live commentary of a game or event, traditionally delivered in the present t ...
announcer for AMSOIL Championship Snocross on
CBS Sports Network CBS Sports Network (a.k.a. CBSSN) is an American digital cable and satellite television network owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global. When it launched in 2002 as the National College Sports Network (later College Sports ...
. In July of 2024, Chris finalized this divorce from long time wife Kimberly. She currently resides in LaCrosse, Wisconsin.


Musical career

In 2001 Hawkey recorded his first solo project, "Minutes to Memories", which showcased his songwriting. He had a second solo project, "The Pursuit", which was a benefit partnership that raised money from record sales.


RYZ

Ryz was a rock band that performed mostly in the Los Angeles area in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Chris Hawkey was the lead singer of the band. They recorded such songs as "The Distance", "Wicked Ways", "Waiting and Watching", and "Wild Ones". Ryz ultimately broke up when offered the opportunity to go on tour opening for Gorky Park. Hawkey thought it was a great opportunity but other members did not want to leave their day jobs, so they went their separate directions.


Rocket Club

In 2008, Hawkey became the lead vocalist of Rocket Club, a
Minneapolis Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...
band, and stayed with the group for six years. As a part of Rocket Club, he has shared the stage with such artists as
Luke Bryan Thomas Luther "Luke" Bryan (born July 17, 1976) is an American country music singer, songwriter, and television personality. Bryan is a five-time "Entertainer of the Year", being awarded by both the Academy of Country Music Awards and the Count ...
,
Jason Aldean Jason Aldine Williams (born February 28, 1977), known professionally as Jason Aldean, is an American country music singer. Since 2005, he has been signed to BBR Music Group, Broken Bow Records, a record label for which he has released eleven alb ...
,
Sugarland Sugarland is an American country music duo founded in Atlanta, Georgia. The duo consists of singer-songwriters Jennifer Nettles (lead vocals) and Kristian Bush (vocals, guitar, mandolin). They were founded in 2002, when Kristen Hall (vocals, gu ...
,
Dierks Bentley Frederick Dierks Bentley (; born November 20, 1975) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Bentley moved to Nashville in the late 90s to pursue a career in music, leading up to his releasing the self-funded and independent album Do ...
,
Miranda Lambert Miranda Leigh Lambert (born November 10, 1983) is an American country music, country singer. Born in Longview, Texas, she started out in early 2001 when she released her self-titled debut album independently. In 2003, she finished in third place ...
, and
Eric Church Kenneth Eric Church (born May 3, 1977) is an American country music singer-songwriter. He has released seven studio albums through Capitol Nashville since 2005. His debut album, 2006's '' Sinners Like Me'', produced three singles on the ''Billb ...
. In 2022, the band reunited and has started recording new music.


Chris Hawkey Band

In 2014, Hawkey released his first solo country record. The 8-song collection included the hit single "My Kinda Crazy." In 2016 he released another album, ''Smile'', which included the song "Good Liar" by
Brett James Brett James Cornelius (born June 5, 1968) is an American country music singer, songwriter, and record producer based in Nashville. James' compositions have been credited on 494 recordings by a wide variety of artists. Signed to Career Records (a ...
. The Chris Hawkey Band includes
Ryan Liestman The Jonas Brothers () are an American pop rock band formed in 2005 comprising brothers Kevin Jonas, Joe Jonas, and Nick Jonas. Raised in Wyckoff, New Jersey, the Jonas Brothers moved to Little Falls, New Jersey, in 2005, where they wrote thei ...
(keyboard) and
Michael Bland Michael Bland (born March 14, 1969) is an American musician best known as a drummer for Prince starting in 1989. He was with Prince during The New Power Generation era and played with him live and on albums for seven years. From 1995 to 1997, B ...
(drummer).


Twin Cities Music Festival

In 2019, Hawkey helped organize and performed at the Twin Cities Summer Jam.


Discography


Albums


Singles


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Hawkey, Chris 1970 births American country singer-songwriters Country musicians from Indiana Country musicians from Minnesota Living people People from Union City, Indiana Singer-songwriters from Indiana Singer-songwriters from Minnesota 21st-century American singer-songwriters