The Vancouver Sun from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada • 11

TIIF I RSL'. SATL'KDAY. SHTIMHKR 21. 2(M)2 All Ailing Hawkins driven to sell car collection The rock legend, who is battling cancer, is trying to regain his financial footing after being unable to work for two years NATION. By TONY LOFARO OTTAWA Rock legend Ronnie Hawkins, already battling pancreatic cancer after sur-geons last month failed to remove a tumour, is about to take a hit in the wallet.

The 67-year-old musician, unable to work steadily for about two years because of serious health problems, says he might be forced to sell his beloved '50s classic cars to keep afloat financially. The collection of 12 cars, some of which were brought to Canada from Arkansas, are to go on the auction block sooa They include a 1950 Mercury he calls his "James Dean" car, bought when the movie Rebel Without A Cause was released. "I'm selling all the cars, selling everything because I want to keep the land if I can," said Hawkins, refer- "But we've been lucky: We've been living in Canada, that makes us lucky." He was laughing and joking earlier this week in an interview, buoyed after being warmly received at a private function with friends on Sunday night at the Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto. The guest list for the love-in included family members, close friends, fellow musicians, a U.S. food billionaire, even a former U.S.

president. Ottawa's Paul Anka was there, as was Canadian composer David Foster, former Edmonton Oilers owner Peter Pocklington, comedienne Whoopi Goldberg, songwriter Paul Simon and Bill Clinton, an old Arkansas buddy. The private function went on for several hours but not before guests trotted out old stories about Hawkins, sang a few songs with Foster at the piano and hoisted a few I it A Ir i (' iP 1 I i Kc ring to Hawk-stone Manor, a sprawling 200-acre farmhouse northeast of Peterborough, where his lives with his wife, Wanda. Doctors operated Aug. 13 on the rocker but could not They said it's inoperable, but I'm hoping (the tumour) will take 35 years to mature.

RONNIE HAWKINS talking about the tumour on his pancreas. drinks in hon-our of the singer, a beloved music icon in Canada. "There was everything from profanity to philosophy at the affair," quipped Anka, who flew in JEAN LEVACOTTAWA CITIZEN Ronnie Hawkins, shown in his home northeast of Peterborough, hasn't lost his sense of humor despite a serious illness. remove the tumour. At the time doctors said there was no need to start chemotherapy right away because there was no sign the cancer had spread.

After overcoming the latest health scare, Hawkins is trying to regain his financial footing. "Things have been tight for three or four years," said the good-humoured musician, best known for putting together the Band and bringing rock 'n' roll to Canada years ago after leaving his native Arkansas. "I don't want to sell them but I just do what I have to do," he said of the classic cars, among them a 1957 Chev, a 1966 Plymouth Belvedere and a 1969 Lincoln Mark III he has owned for decades. ing a little pot in the bathroom, so we didn't want to do that in front of the president, so we had to run in there and get rid of it." He called Clinton "one of the greatest cats" and the "sharpest boogers" he's ever met. Hawkins said he has known the former president since Clinton became attorney-general of Arkansas and followed his career from state governor to the White House.

He also played at the president's inaugural dinner in 1992 in Washington. Several friends could not attend but sent along their regards, including actor Michael Douglas, musician Robbie Robertson of the Band and laughed. He brushed aside thoughts about how much time he may still have, adding he doesn't like to worry about things out of his control. "Every day I live, and I want to have as much fun as I can. If something's growing, I ain't nothing you can do about it." A CD collection of new songs titled Still Cruisin' should be in record stores soon.

He's also working on a documentary and a video on his 50 years in rock 'n' roll with Peter Bennett, who was a promotion manager for the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Ottawa Citizen for the tribute after finishing a gig at a casino outside Syracuse, New York. He said he met Hawkins on a rock 'n' roll tour in Chicago many years ago, although he admitted he is not a close friend. Hawkins was bowled over by the outpouring of affection from many of his longtime friends. "I just had the most exciting thing I've ever seen in my life happen to me last night Sunday," said Hawkins, at his Toronto hotel room before leaving for his farmhouse.

"I just couldn't believe it, this was the big time, these are some of the biggest people going. We got on a roll and it ended up being entertaining and lots of fun. I couldn't sing because my right side has stitches, and I'm still sore." He joked that he had more stitches in him than the "Frankenstein monster." He said Anka sang My Way, and he actually changed the lyrics to his famous song as a loving tribute. He said Clinton told stories, and later the former president retreated to Hawkins' suite where he stayed until almost midnight before he left. "The president came in and we had Secret Service everywhere, but they had to stay outside the door.

Of course, here was a couple of my guys smok actress Beverly D'Angelo, who got her start singing in his band, the Hawks, a forerunner to the Band. To honour Hawkins, several events are planned for Oct. 4, including the singer receiving the key to the city of Toronto, getting a star on the Canada Walk of Fame and being featured at a fund-raising concert that night. About his health, Hawkins remains optimistic despite the fact doctors were unable to remove the tumour located on his pancreas. "They said it's inoperable, but I'm hoping the tumour will take 35 years to mature," he Your Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep Dealers present i 1 i a o-l i r.

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