Greg Hawkes

American musician

Greg Hawkes (born October 22, 1952[1]) is an American musician. He is best known as the keyboardist for the new wave band The Cars.

A native of Fulton, Maryland, Hawks attended Atholton High School, where he played in a band called Teeth. He then attended Berklee College of Music for two years, majoring in composition and flute. He left to play in various bands, including Martin Mull and his Fabulous Furniture, where he played flute, saxophones and clarinet. He also played in a band called Richard and The Rabbits, which included future Cars bandmates Ric Ocasek and Benjamin Orr.

Greg Hawkes' most notable involvement was with The Cars. Hawkes pushed the limits of available technology and sequencing helping to forge the sound of the 1980s. His signature sounds include the Prophet-5 "touch sync" sound heard on "Let's Go" and "Hello Again" as well as arpeggiated and syncopated synth lines like on "Shake it Up" and "Heartbeat City".

References change