BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Robert Rex Waller Jr. is a singer, songwriter, performer and professor living in Los Angeles, CA. Over the last 20+ years Waller has been the lead singer and one of the principal songwriters with the critically acclaimed country rock band, I See Hawks in L.A.
The Hawks have released ten studio albums and toured the US and Europe multiple times. Their songs have charted in independent Americana radio in US and Europe and have been placed in TV and films including Cobra Kai, Roswell, and True Blood.
Dave Alvin has called the Hawks “one of California’s unique treasures” and MOJO magazine named them “the finest country rock band on the planet.”
Waller has written, recorded, or performed with artists including but not limited to Phoebe Bridgers, Lucinda Williams, Carla Olson, Eddie Mitchell, Stevie Wonder, Cheech Marin, Jackson Browne, Justin Townes Earle, Tom Petty, Chris Hillman, Herb Peterson, John York, David Jackson, Gabe Witcher, Rick Shea, Dave Alvin, James Intveld, Gregg Sutton, Tony Gilkyson, Raul Pacheco, Peter Case, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Bernie Leadon, and The Meat Puppets.
Waller and the Hawks have performed at some of the most legendary venues and festivals in Americana music including: McCabe’s Guitar Shop, Old Town School of Folk Music Chicago, Slim’s (SF), and Joe’s Pub (NYC). His festival appearances include: Kerrville Folk Fest, Stagecoach, Strawberry Festival (CA), Down On The Farm (Halden, Norway), Maverick Fest (UK), Belladrum Tartan Heart (UK), Hempfest (Seattle), French Broad River Fest (NC), Albino Skunk Fest (SC), and showcases at Folk Alliance.
In addition to his performing career, Waller is also a professor at the University of Southern California. Alumni from hiss legendary Writing for Visual and Performing Artists course are professionally active in all genres of the arts from TV and film to Broadway to popular and classical music to visual arts, architecture and video games.
Waller released Fancy Free, his first solo album of cover songs, in 2016. Waller’s second solo album, See The Big Man Cry, was produced by Carla Olson and is set to be released on BFD records on October 20th, 2023.
Waller lives in the Highland Park neighborhood of Los Angeles with his wise and understanding wife, three well-behaved children, and two adoring cats.
Products
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"See The Big Man Cry" CD $20.00 -
"Fancy Free" 180g Vinyl $30.00 - "Fancy Free" CD $20.00
“Any fear of how some songs would fit are soon dispelled as Waller, JR ups his game to deliver an album I will be playing for a long, long time. He doesn’t just cover the songs but in a number of cases it will be his I reach for first in days to come as the definitive version.” –Maurice Hope, Americana UK
News and Reviews
4 Star Review for STBMC from RnR Magazine
Lee Zimmerman Reviews STBMC for The Alternate Root
Robert Rex Waller Jr. and Carla Olson share a keen sense of musical history and tradition, a fact made obvious by See the Big Man Cry, an album that evokes the classic sounds of vintage Pop music from an earlier era. Waller is a formidable singer in his own right, and...
Roots Highway (Italy) Reviews STBMC
di Remo Ricaldone (15/11/2023) Vocalist and main songwriter for more than twenty years with the Californian band I See Hawks In LA, Robert Rex Waller Jr. has stood out for his tireless collaboration with the best names on the Golden State scene, from Chris Hillman to...
Music Morsels Reviews “STBMC”
Robert Rex Waller Jr. – the singer/songwriter at the helm of country rockers I See Hawks In L.A. for the past couple decades – honors some of his prodigious roots with this solo effort. Robert’s musical interpretations take you back to a different corner of classic...
Twangville Reviews “See The Big Man Cry”
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 02, 2023 BY SHAWN UNDERWOOD I have to profess, a vocalist’s range is not something where I tend to pay enough attention. But it came up front and center on Robert Rex Waller, Junior’s latest album, See the Big Man Cry. Like hearing Roy Orbison or...