Mickey Hawks (born 17 July 1940 in Thomasville, North Carolina; died 15 August 1989 in Rockingham, North Carolina) was among the few rock 'n' roll artists of the 1950s who remained steadfast in his original musical style, characterized by his powerful vocals and energetic piano performances. Although he never achieved a national hit, Hawks sustained a living through his music until his untimely passing at the age of 49.
At the age of two, Hawks and his family relocated from Thomasville to High Point, North Carolina, where he would reside for the next 25 years before eventually moving to Reidsville, near the Virginia state line. As the fifth of six children, he began learning the piano from his mother at the age of thirteen. Influenced by artists such as Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis, Mickey formed his first band, The Rhythm Rockers, in 1956.
In September 1957, he joined The Night Raiders, a group led by Moon Mullins, who had a local radio show and played the saxophone. After playing together for a time, Mullins expressed a desire for the band to record a song for sale at local dances and asked Hawks to write one. The result was "Bip Bop Boom," a lively rock number that became closely associated with Hawks. The song was recorded in May 1958 for the Robbins Red label in Greensboro, North Carolina, owned by Eddie Robbins. A limited pressing of 500 copies was made on red vinyl, which sold at gigs.
Mullins managed to have the record released simultaneously on the Mart label based in Martinsville, Virginia. The master was later acquired by Mike Oury, who owned the Profile label in Chicago. A remixed version of "Bip Bop Boom" was released on Profile 4002 in October 1958. While the Mart release credited Moon Mullins and his Night Raiders, the Profile version recognized "Mickey Hawks with Moon Mullins and his Night Raiders." This third release sold around 50,000 copies, particularly thriving in Chicago and even reaching South Africa, where it reportedly became a number one record in Johannesburg.
Oury signed The Night Raiders to a three-year contract, but their subsequent singles—“Cotton Pickin’”/“Hidi Hidi Hidi” (1959) and “Screamin’ Mimi Jeanie”/“I’m Lost” (1960)—did not replicate the success of "Bip Bop Boom." The band toured for about a month to promote each release, garnering positive responses from most audiences, although they faced challenges in venues accustomed to traditional country music. At times, their energetic performances led to crowd control issues, resulting in refunds for dissatisfied patrons. On stage, the dynamic Hawks could mimic a range of artists, from Fats Domino to Chuck Berry, alongside his inspirations, Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard.
The 1960s brought a slowdown in activity. Apart from a reissue of "Cotton Pickin'" in 1961 on the Hunch label, the band released only one single, "Gonna Dance Tonight, Parts 1 & 2," on the Lance label in 1961, featuring Hawks on piano and Mullins on vocals and saxophone. In 1963, the band temporarily parted ways with Mullins and continued as The Night Raiders, performing mainly in Virginia, where they also had a television show called "Saturday Night Country Style." They recorded new material in 1968 and 1971, but these efforts either did not sell or remained unreleased. In 1971, Cees Klop reissued the six Profile recordings on one side of a Collector LP, and "Bip Bop Boom" was re-released as a single in the UK in 1977 and in Sweden in 1982.
In the 1980s, Hawks toured Europe several times and recorded a new album, "Sounds Of the 50's," in 1989. Tragically, he passed away from a heart attack at his home while playing the piano. His legacy endures through songs like "Bip Bop Boom" and "Screamin' Mimi Jeanie," which exemplify the essence of unrefined rock 'n' roll.
