Ron Hawkins has long been a fixture of Toronto’s music scene. If one was to compile a list of the country’s finest singer/songwriters, he’d make ours every time. So, when he agreed to play a tune for our music series, we were thrilled. Although some early morning rain was cause for concern, we decided to tap into Hawkins’ rebellious nature, throw caution to the wind, light us a campfire in Taylor Creek Park and get to work. The result was likely one of our most enjoyable shoots to date.

Hawkins is, of course, best known for his work with iconic rock band Lowest of the Low in the early ’90s. Their debut album, Shakespeare My Butt, still gets radio airplay thanks to upbeat and biting tunes such as “Eternal Fatalist,” “Salesman, Cheats and Liars” and many more. But, since the band’s demise, reunion, and subsequent demise 2.0, Hawkins has crafted a successful career both as a musician and a painter. As a solo artist, he has produced five studio albums including Rome with his new band Do Good Assassins.

His latest album, Garden Songs, is his finest to date, an achievement reflecting his maturity as an artist — a musician at full command of this art. Garden Songs combines new material with reworked older tunes such as “Small Victories.” And, it’s no surprise that the album has been well received by fans new and old, and has even produced something of a hit in the beautiful song “Peace and Quiet.”

Hawkins is playing some solo shows around Southern Ontario this month before a big Do Good Assassins gig at Toronto Urban Roots Festival in September. For all the details, go to www.ronhawkins.com.