Kenny Loggins is experiencing a creative renaissance with the help of his wife’s daughter, Hunter Hawkins. At a recent screening of his documentary, *Kenny Loggins: Conviction of the Heart*, held at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, the legendary singer-songwriter expressed his enthusiasm for collaborating with his new musical partner. At the age of 78, Loggins revealed that he has turned an unfinished song from 26 years ago into a duet with Hunter, who is just 25.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/Kenny-Loggins-attends-Reel-To-Reel-092526-b57a4eb1055c4283b9e8b45cc0c598e2.jpg)
During the event, which took place on 17 September, Loggins shared how much joy he derives from working alongside Hunter. “Being in the studio with her and working out new ideas is the most fun I’m having right now,” he remarked, highlighting their frequent performances together. This partnership has allowed Loggins to focus on his creativity, with Hunter complementing his voice by tackling the higher vocal parts during their joint projects.
The partnership is not merely a casual collaboration; Loggins spoke in detail about how they transformed one of his older tracks into a new piece. He recalled how a former engineer from 26 years prior, Tony Shepperd, unexpectedly rediscovered a previously unfinished song. “When I was working on my last record for Columbia Records, they decided to drop me from the label,” he explained. Loggins recounted a period of depression that followed, stemming from the significant upheaval in his career at the time.
Loggins reminisced about the difficult decisions he faced, including a suggestion from his then-wife to use their savings to complete the album. He managed to finish a portion of the tracks but was left with several incomplete compositions, one of which was a piece titled “Caribbean Breeze.” When Shepperd sent the unfinished track to him, Loggins felt an immediate urge to revive it, envisioning a duet with Hunter.
In an intriguing twist, Loggins shared that he salvaged most of his original vocal recordings from the unfinished song, meaning that his voice from 26 years ago harmonises alongside Hunter’s. “We sound pretty good together,” he added, pleased with the outcome of their collaboration.
The evening was not solely devoted to music; it also served as a platform for Loggins to announce his recent nuptials. He revealed that he and Lisa Hawkins, Hunter’s mother and his longtime partner, had wed in a private ceremony in Hawaii. He took a moment during the event to pay tribute to Lisa, saying, “I want to take a moment and acknowledge my wife, Lisa.” Their relationship had first come to light in a March 2023 interview with AARP, but the secret marriage came as a surprise to many in attendance.
Loggins also offered insight into the motivation behind his documentary. He described the importance of authenticity and truthfulness in storytelling, stating, “If I ever do a documentary, it’s got to be true.” The retrospective on his career premiered at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival in Toronto on 27 April and later featured as the opening-night film for another festival on 25 September.
The documentary, which showcases his journey as a musician and artist, seeks to reflect Loggins’ dedication to sincerity in his work. He has always aimed to express genuine emotions and experiences through his songwriting, even when depicting fictional relationships.
With the release of the documentary and his flourishing musical partnership with Hunter, Kenny Loggins appears to be embracing a fulfilling new chapter in both his personal and professional life. As he continues to engage with his artistic passions and family ties, fans can expect more heartwarming collaborations and possibly new music from the singer who defined an era.