Editing Robbie Robertson (section)

===With Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks===
Robertson began shadowing Hawkins after the Suedes opened for the [[Arkansas]]-based rockabilly group [[Ronnie Hawkins|Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks]] at Dixie Arena.<ref name="Robertson2016">{{cite book |last1=Robertson |first1=Robbie |title=Testimony: A Memoir |year=2016 |publisher=Crown |isbn=978-0-307-88980-5 |pages=6–28 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wMIOCAAAQBAJ&pg=PT6}}</ref> One afternoon he overheard Hawkins say he needed some new songs since they were going into the studio to record the next month. Hoping to ingratiate himself, Robertson stayed up all night and wrote two songs, "Someone Like You" and "Hey Boba Lu", and played them for Hawkins the next day. The showman was impressed and recorded both of them for his new album, ''Mr Dynamo'' (1959).<ref name="Wright-McLeod2018">{{cite book |last1=Wright-McLeod |first1=Brian |title=The Encyclopedia of Native Music: More Than a Century of Recordings from Wax Cylinder to the Internet |year=2018 |publisher=University of Arizona Press |isbn=978-0-8165-3864-5 |page=166 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TkBIDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA166}}</ref><ref name="Marcus2015">{{cite book |last1=Marcus |first1=Greil |title=Mystery Train: Images of America in Rock 'n' Roll Music: Sixth Edition |year=2015 |publisher=Penguin |isbn=978-0-14-218158-4 |pages=239–245 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=trEBDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA245}}</ref> Hawkins brought Robertson to the [[Brill Building]] in [[New York City]] to help him choose songs for the rest of the album.<ref name=rnr_h_seb/>{{rp|14–15}}<ref name=levon_helm_book/>{{rp|66–67}}<ref name=band_bio/>{{rp|45–46}}
[[File:Ronnie Hawkins.jpg|left|thumb|[[Ronnie Hawkins]] (here pictured performing in 2014) hired Robertson as a member of his backup band the Hawks in 1960.]]
Hawkins hired pianist Scott Cushnie away from the Suedes, and took him on tour in Arkansas with the Hawks. When the Hawks' bass player left the group, Cushnie recommended that Hawkins hire Robertson to replace him on bass.<ref name=band_bio/>{{rp|49, 51–52}}<ref name="sc_hamilton_2014">{{cite news|last1=Rockington|first1=Graham|title=Professor Piano moves to the Hammer|url=http://www.thespec.com/news-story/4345452-professor-piano-moves-to-the-hammer|access-date=February 21, 2016|work=Hamilton Spectator|agency=Metroland Media Group|publisher=Neil Oliver|date=January 31, 2014}}</ref>

Hawkins invited Robertson to Arkansas, and then flew to the UK to perform on television there. Left in Arkansas, Robertson spent his living allowance on records and practised intensively each day. Upon returning, Hawkins hired him to play bass. Cushnie left the band a few months later.<ref name=sc_hamilton_2014/> Robertson soon switched from bass to playing lead guitar for the Hawks.<ref name=rnr_h_seb/>{{rp|20–22}}<ref name=levon_helm_book/>{{rp|68–70, 75}} Robertson developed into a guitar virtuoso.<ref>[[Howard Sounes]]. ''Down the Highway: The Life Of Bob Dylan'' Doubleday (2001), pg. 189; {{ISBN|0-552-99929-6}}</ref>

[[Roy Buchanan]], a few years older than Robertson, was briefly a member of the Hawks and became an important influence on Robertson's guitar style: "Standing next to Buchanan on stage for several months, Robertson was able to absorb Buchanan's deft manipulations with his volume speed dial, his tendency to bend multiple strings for [[steel guitar]]-like effect, his rapid [[sweep picking]], and his passion for bending past the root and fifth notes during solo flights."<ref name="Drozdowski">How to Play Guitar Like The Band's Robbie Robertson, Gibson.com Aug 26, 2011; accessed September 2, 2017.</ref>

Drummer/singer [[Levon Helm]] was already a member of the Hawks and soon became close friends with Robertson.<ref name=levon_helm_book/>{{rp|76}} The Hawks continued to tour the United States and Canada, adding [[Rick Danko]], [[Richard Manuel]], and [[Garth Hudson]] to the Hawks lineup in 1961.<ref name="band_last_waltz_book">{{cite book|last1=Minturn|first1=Neil|editor1-last=Budds|editor1-first=Michael J.|title=The Last Waltz of The Band|date=2005|publisher=Pendragon Press|location=Hillsdale, New York|isbn=1576470938|pages=200–201|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G9VIrC7aDU8C|access-date=February 21, 2016}}</ref>

This lineup, which later became [[the Band]], toured with Hawkins throughout 1962 and into 1963.<ref name=levon_helm_book/>{{rp|95, 100}} They also hired the saxophone player Jerry Penfound and later Bruce Bruno, who were both with the group in their intermediary period as Levon and the Hawks.<ref name="jerry_penfound">{{cite web|title=Jerry "Ish" Penfound|url=http://theband.hiof.no/band_members/jerry_penfound.html|website=The Band Website|publisher=Jan Hoiberg|access-date=February 21, 2016}}</ref><ref name="bruce_bruno">{{cite web|title=Bruce Bruno|url=http://theband.hiof.no/band_members/bruce_bruno.html|website=The Band Website|publisher=Jan Hoiberg|access-date=February 21, 2016}}</ref>

Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks cut sessions for Roulette Records throughout 1961–1963, all of which Robertson appeared on. The sessions included three singles: "Come Love" b/w "I Feel Good" (Roulette 4400 1961); "Who Do You Love" b/w "Bo Diddley" (Roulette 4483 1963); and "There's A Screw Loose" b/w "High Blood Pressure" (Roulette 4502 1963).<ref name=band_bio/>{{rp|420}}<ref name="rh_discog">{{cite web|title=Ronnie Hawkins Discography|url=http://www.ronniehawkins.com/discography.cfm|website=Ronniehawkins.com|publisher=Hawkstone Enterprises|access-date=February 21, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141201091351/http://www.ronniehawkins.com/discography.cfm|archive-date=December 1, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>