Chesney Hawkes

Chesney Hawkes burst onto the scene as a British teen sensation in 1991, when his debut single “I Am the One and Only” held the top spot on the U.K. charts for five consecutive weeks. Born September 22, 1971, he entered the entertainment world with strong family ties: his father, Len “Chip” Hawkes, had played bass in the Tremeloes, whose cover of “Silence Is Golden” narrowly missed the U.S. Top Ten, and his mother, Carol Hawkes, worked as a television presenter and actress in Britain. At age nineteen he made his first public appearance, stepping into the role of Buddy Holly for the 1990 film Buddy’s Song opposite the Who’s Roger Daltrey. Although the movie failed commercially, its soundtrack gained traction across Europe, anchored by the Nik Kershaw-written track that dominated the charts for more than a month. Later in 1990 the same song reached the American Top Ten after it appeared in the Michael J. Fox comedy Doc Hollywood.

Subsequent releases proved far less successful. “I’m a Man Not a Boy” became his final single to enter the Top 40 on either side of the Atlantic. In 1993 he issued the album Get the Picture, yet scant public response prompted a shift toward acting. He took small parts in the 1995 rock musical McGregor’s Trap and the 1997 feature Prince Valiant while also appearing on several British reality programs. Hawkes attempted a musical comeback in 2001 with “Stay Away Baby Jane,” a song co-written with Fountains of Wayne’s Adam Schlesinger, though it registered only a minimal U.K. chart entry. His 2005 single “Another Fine Mess” fared marginally better, climbing to number 48, but left him widely regarded as a one-hit wonder.