Chip started professionally in the music business in 1962 when he went to Germany with a beat band called the "Horizens". Incidentally the lead singer was Rod Evans, "Deep Purple's" original singer. After playing the Hamburg clubs for while, much the same as "The Beatles", he started his career with "The Tremeloes" as lead singer/songwriter bass guitarist. The group became very successful worldwide with a string of hits such as, "Here Comes My Baby", "Silence Is Golden", (No.1 in America), "Suddenly You Love Me" and "Even The Bad Times Are Good" (all hits in the US). "The Tremeloes" became a household name in Europe and America notching up 18/20 top twenty chart entries and touring with "The Beatles", "Stones", "Hollies", "Kinks", "Who", "Spencer Davis" etc. From '74 to '79, the band split and Chip spent those years in Nashville Tennessee writing and recording two albums for R.C.A records.

For personal family reasons, in '79 he decided to return to England and reform the band. He was amazed to find that "The Tremeloes" were still in huge demand. So for the next nine years Chip fronted them again playing to audiences all over the World, until he left in '88 to concentrate on managing his son Chesney. It turned out to be a good decision because the boy had a worldwide number one hit in '92 with "The One And Only" and a lead part in a film playing Roger Daltry's son.

Like most older rock and rollers, Chip missed performing on stage so inevitably in '92 he went back on the road. Since then Chip Hawkes has made himself the reputation for being a charismatic and exciting solo artist.