Born in Ky, Hawkins moved to Fl in 1968. He started playing bars and honky tonks along the Gulf Coast in the late 70’s, and was voted Gulf Coast’s best male singer in 1989 by the Pensacola News Journal’s public opinion poll. J. started playing the FloraBama in 1978 and has been involved with the FBISF since it’s inception. J. has opened for well known acts such as John Hartford, Tom T. Hall, John Prine, David Allen Coe, Marshall Tucker, and Asleep At the Wheel.
