Chesney Hawkes praises son as ‘rock and roll’ before upcoming tour

Chesney Hawkes, the renowned singer, recently voiced admiration for his son Indiana, referring to him as “way more rock and roll than I ever was,” as they gear up for their upcoming joint tour. The 54-year-old artist commended his 20-year-old son, also known as Indi, who plays lead guitar in his band and will accompany him on their upcoming UK tour. During an appearance on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Hawkes lauded Indiana’s guitar skills, emphasizing, “He wouldn’t be in my band otherwise.”

Expressing his pride in his son’s talent, Hawkes remarked, “I taught him only as far as I could. He’s way better than I was.” Their collaboration on Hawkes’s Smash It to Pieces tour scheduled for March in cities like London, Glasgow, Manchester, and Leeds marks another instance of the father-son duo sharing the stage, having previously performed together in June 2024, as showcased in a video on Hawkes’s official Facebook page.

Discussing his latest album, Living Arrows, which debuted in April, Hawkes described the project as “very personal” and shared, “I really wrote from the heart.” Contrary to his hit track, “The One And Only,” which topped the UK charts in 1991, Hawkes delved into deeper subjects on the new album, surprising those familiar with only his iconic single. Despite his successful music career spanning decades, Hawkes reiterated, “I still have the same passion for music that I ever had.”

Recounting the journey of his latest single, “Get A Hold Of Yourself,” which almost didn’t make the album, Hawkes revealed, “Several people on the team heard it and said, ‘There’s something about that song.’ Then it ended up being the first single.” Acknowledging the complexities of achieving a hit record, Hawkes emphasized the importance of timing and the alignment of various factors in the music industry.

Hawkes rose to fame with “The One And Only,” a chart-topping single that secured the number one spot in the UK for five weeks in 1991. Originating from the film Buddy’s Song (1991), in which Hawkes shared screen time with The Who frontman Sir Roger Daltrey, the track remains a fan favorite. Recently, Hawkes showcased his knowledge on BBC’s Celebrity Mastermind, focusing on The Beatles’ self-titled 1968 album, popularly known as the White Album, and also appeared on ITV reality show Celebrity Big Brother earlier this year, finishing in fifth place.