Chesney Hawkes

An English singer and occasional actor, Chesney Hawkes is tied to a single song more than to any other part of his career. Born in Windsor, Berkshire, in 1971 and named after the comedian Chesney Allen, he grew up around music: his father Chip played bass with the Tremeloes, and his sister Keely sang with Transister. His breakthrough came at nineteen, when he played the title role in the film Buddy's Song, and its soundtrack single, the Nik Kershaw-penned "The One and Only", became his defining record.

That record spent five weeks at the top of the UK Singles Chart and reached the US top 10, and it was also featured in Doc Hollywood (1991) and Moon (2009). Follow-ups such as "I'm a Man Not a Boy" and "What's Wrong with This Picture?" charted less strongly, and his 2002 collaboration with Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne, "Stay Away Baby Jane", reached number 74. Later years brought television work, including The Games in 2005, where he won a bronze medal, an appearance in the musical Can't Smile Without You, and in 2022 a box set, The Complete Picture: The Albums 1991–2012.