George Hege Hamilton IV (July 19, 1937 – September 17, 2014) was an America… Read Full Bio ↴George Hege Hamilton IV (July 19, 1937 – September 17, 2014) was an American country musician. He began performing in the late 1950s as a teen idol, later switching to country music in the early 1960s.
Hamilton was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on July 19, 1937. While a 19-year-old student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Hamilton recorded "A Rose and a Baby Ruth" for a Chapel Hill record label, Colonial Records. The song, written by John D. Loudermilk, climbed to No. 6 on the United States Billboard Hot 100 chart. By 1960, "A Rose and a Baby Ruth" had attained gold record status for ABC-Paramount (which had acquired the song from Colonial). The self-penned B-side of the record, "If You Don't Know", revealed Hamilton's ambitions to be a rockabilly-country singer. In late 1959, Hamilton moved his family to Nashville, Tennessee to further his work as a country musician. On February 8, 1960, Hamilton officially became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Later that same year, he began recording for RCA Records, having been signed by Chet Atkins. In the UK he was less successful, with his biggest hit being "I Know Where I'm Going" in 1958. In 1984 he appeared with Billy Graham on his UK tour 'Mission England' and made other appearances as a solo performer in venues around the UK at this time.
Hamilton's breakthrough hit was the 1961 song "Before this Day Ends". His biggest hit came two years later with "Abilene", another song penned by Loudermilk and Bob Gibson. The song spent four weeks at No. 1 on Billboard's country singles chart and reached the Top 20 of the Hot 100. The success of "Abilene" was followed with the song "Fort Worth, Dallas or Houston" (a Top 5 hit in late 1964).
By the mid-1960s, Hamilton's music began showing a decidedly folk influence. This was especially evident with 1966's "Steel Rail Blues" and "Early Morning Rain" (both by Gordon Lightfoot), and 1967's "Urge for Going" by Joni Mitchell. Another 1967 hit was "Break My Mind" (by John D. Loudermilk). One more Hamilton song of this genre was a moderate hit in 1969—the Ray Griff-penned "Canadian Pacific". His last Top 5 single came in 1970, with "She's a Little Bit Country".
After his American chart success declined in the early 1970s, Hamilton began touring the world, across the Soviet Union, Poland, Australia, the Middle East and East Asia. These widely acclaimed international performances earned Hamilton the nickname The International Ambassador of Country Music. He also hosted several successful television programs in the UK and Canada during the 1970s, and in the 1990s he played himself in the West End musical Patsy, based on the life of Patsy Cline.
In 2004, he recorded an acoustic gospel album with producer Dave Moody titled On a Blue Ridge Sunday which earned Hamilton a Dove Award nomination in the "Best Bluegrass Album of the Year" category by the members of the Gospel Music Association. A single from the album, "Little Mountain Church House", won nominee recognition in the "Best Bluegrass Recorded Song" category the following year.
Until the very late years of his life, Hamilton was a regular at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville and in country shows throughout the U.S. and the UK. He mainly concentrated on gospel tours both at home and abroad. In 2007 he collaborated with Live Issue, a group from Northern Ireland, to record a live album based on the life of Joseph Scriven, who wrote the hymn "What a Friend We Have in Jesus". The two also toured together again in 2009.
In 2008, Hamilton released a parody of his classic hit "Abilene" in the height of the soaring U.S. gas prices called "Gasoline". The acoustic single featured "The Oil Spots" (a.k.a. The Moody Brothers & George Hamilton V) and became a hit with audiences during Hamilton's Opry appearances. Hamilton was also a regular participant in the Country's Family Reunion video series.
In 2010, Lamon Records released the album Old Fashioned Hymns, recorded transatlantic with producers Dave Moody in Nashville and Colin Elliott in Ireland. Hamilton was joined on the 28-track collection by a number of musical guests, including Ricky Skaggs, Marty Stuart, Gail Davies, Pat Boone, Del McCoury, Bill Anderson, Connie Smith, Tommy Cash, Cliff Barrows, George Beverly Shea and many others.
Hamilton had a heart attack on September 13, 2014, and died on September 17 at Saint Thomas Midtown Hospital in Nashville.[8] On September 24, the Ryman Auditorium hosted a memorial service which include performances by Marty Stewart, Ricky Skaggs, The Whites, Jett Williams, Gail Davies, Connie Smith, Dave Moody, Jimmy Capps, Barry and Holly Tashian, The Babcocks, Andrew Greer and Cindy Morgan. English music historian and journalist Tony Byworth, music writer and author Frye Galliard, artists and songwriters John D. Loudermilk and Bill Anderson, Grand Ole Opry general manager Pete Fisher, and WSM announcer Eddie Stubbs all shared stories of Hamilton's life and career during the memorial. The service concluded with "Amazing Grace" performed on bagpipes by Nashville Pipes and Drums Pipe Sergeant David Goodman.
Hamilton was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2010.
The North Carolina Board of Transportation voted to name a bridge on Business 40 for Hamilton. The ceremony naming the bridge was held on July 19, 2016, which would have been Hamilton's 79th birthday.
Discography
It has been suggested that this section be split out into another article titled George Hamilton discography. (Discuss) (August 2016)
Albums
Year Album Chart Positions Label U.S. Country U.S.
1958 On Campus — — ABC-Paramount
Sing Me a Sad Song — —
1961 To You and Yours — — RCA Victor
1963 Abilene 18 77
1964 Fort Worth, Dallas or Houston — —
1965 Mister Sincerity...A Tribute to Ernest Tubb 19 —
1966 Coast-Country 21 —
Steel Rail Blues 3 —
1967 Folk Country Classics 3 —
Folksy 21 —
1968 The Gentle Country Sound of George Hamilton IV 25 —
In the 4th Dimension 36 —
1969 Canadian Pacific — —
1970 The Best Of — —
Back Where It's At — —
1971 North Country 45 —
West Texas Highway — —
1972 Country Music in My Soul — —
Travelin' Light — —
International Ambassador — —
1973 Out West Country — —
1974 The Best Of Volume 2 (UK only) — —
"Greatest Hits" 35 —
1975 Trendsetter — —
Back to Down East Country — —
1976 Back Home at the Opry — —
1977 Fine Lace and Homespun Cloth — — Anchor
1978 Feels Like a Million — —
1979 Forever Young — — MCA
1982 Songs for a Winter's Night — — Ronco
1983 Country Beat — — Supraphon
1984 Music Man's Dream — — Range
1985 George Hamilton IV — — MCA
1986 American Country Gothic with The Moody Brothers — — Lamon Records
1990 HomeGrown with George Hamilton V — — Lamon Records
2004 Blue Ridge Sunday — — Lamon Records
2006 Heritage and Legacy — — Lamon Records
2010 Old Fashioned Hymns and Gospel Songs for Those Who Miss Them — — Lamon Records (US) and Hillcrest Recordings (Ireland)
2011 In The Heart Of Texas — — Heart Of Texas Records
2012 Luke The Drifter (The Other Side of Hank Williams) — — Lamon Records
Hamilton was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on July 19, 1937. While a 19-year-old student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Hamilton recorded "A Rose and a Baby Ruth" for a Chapel Hill record label, Colonial Records. The song, written by John D. Loudermilk, climbed to No. 6 on the United States Billboard Hot 100 chart. By 1960, "A Rose and a Baby Ruth" had attained gold record status for ABC-Paramount (which had acquired the song from Colonial). The self-penned B-side of the record, "If You Don't Know", revealed Hamilton's ambitions to be a rockabilly-country singer. In late 1959, Hamilton moved his family to Nashville, Tennessee to further his work as a country musician. On February 8, 1960, Hamilton officially became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Later that same year, he began recording for RCA Records, having been signed by Chet Atkins. In the UK he was less successful, with his biggest hit being "I Know Where I'm Going" in 1958. In 1984 he appeared with Billy Graham on his UK tour 'Mission England' and made other appearances as a solo performer in venues around the UK at this time.
Hamilton's breakthrough hit was the 1961 song "Before this Day Ends". His biggest hit came two years later with "Abilene", another song penned by Loudermilk and Bob Gibson. The song spent four weeks at No. 1 on Billboard's country singles chart and reached the Top 20 of the Hot 100. The success of "Abilene" was followed with the song "Fort Worth, Dallas or Houston" (a Top 5 hit in late 1964).
By the mid-1960s, Hamilton's music began showing a decidedly folk influence. This was especially evident with 1966's "Steel Rail Blues" and "Early Morning Rain" (both by Gordon Lightfoot), and 1967's "Urge for Going" by Joni Mitchell. Another 1967 hit was "Break My Mind" (by John D. Loudermilk). One more Hamilton song of this genre was a moderate hit in 1969—the Ray Griff-penned "Canadian Pacific". His last Top 5 single came in 1970, with "She's a Little Bit Country".
After his American chart success declined in the early 1970s, Hamilton began touring the world, across the Soviet Union, Poland, Australia, the Middle East and East Asia. These widely acclaimed international performances earned Hamilton the nickname The International Ambassador of Country Music. He also hosted several successful television programs in the UK and Canada during the 1970s, and in the 1990s he played himself in the West End musical Patsy, based on the life of Patsy Cline.
In 2004, he recorded an acoustic gospel album with producer Dave Moody titled On a Blue Ridge Sunday which earned Hamilton a Dove Award nomination in the "Best Bluegrass Album of the Year" category by the members of the Gospel Music Association. A single from the album, "Little Mountain Church House", won nominee recognition in the "Best Bluegrass Recorded Song" category the following year.
Until the very late years of his life, Hamilton was a regular at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville and in country shows throughout the U.S. and the UK. He mainly concentrated on gospel tours both at home and abroad. In 2007 he collaborated with Live Issue, a group from Northern Ireland, to record a live album based on the life of Joseph Scriven, who wrote the hymn "What a Friend We Have in Jesus". The two also toured together again in 2009.
In 2008, Hamilton released a parody of his classic hit "Abilene" in the height of the soaring U.S. gas prices called "Gasoline". The acoustic single featured "The Oil Spots" (a.k.a. The Moody Brothers & George Hamilton V) and became a hit with audiences during Hamilton's Opry appearances. Hamilton was also a regular participant in the Country's Family Reunion video series.
In 2010, Lamon Records released the album Old Fashioned Hymns, recorded transatlantic with producers Dave Moody in Nashville and Colin Elliott in Ireland. Hamilton was joined on the 28-track collection by a number of musical guests, including Ricky Skaggs, Marty Stuart, Gail Davies, Pat Boone, Del McCoury, Bill Anderson, Connie Smith, Tommy Cash, Cliff Barrows, George Beverly Shea and many others.
Hamilton had a heart attack on September 13, 2014, and died on September 17 at Saint Thomas Midtown Hospital in Nashville.[8] On September 24, the Ryman Auditorium hosted a memorial service which include performances by Marty Stewart, Ricky Skaggs, The Whites, Jett Williams, Gail Davies, Connie Smith, Dave Moody, Jimmy Capps, Barry and Holly Tashian, The Babcocks, Andrew Greer and Cindy Morgan. English music historian and journalist Tony Byworth, music writer and author Frye Galliard, artists and songwriters John D. Loudermilk and Bill Anderson, Grand Ole Opry general manager Pete Fisher, and WSM announcer Eddie Stubbs all shared stories of Hamilton's life and career during the memorial. The service concluded with "Amazing Grace" performed on bagpipes by Nashville Pipes and Drums Pipe Sergeant David Goodman.
Hamilton was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2010.
The North Carolina Board of Transportation voted to name a bridge on Business 40 for Hamilton. The ceremony naming the bridge was held on July 19, 2016, which would have been Hamilton's 79th birthday.
Discography
It has been suggested that this section be split out into another article titled George Hamilton discography. (Discuss) (August 2016)
Albums
Year Album Chart Positions Label U.S. Country U.S.
1958 On Campus — — ABC-Paramount
Sing Me a Sad Song — —
1961 To You and Yours — — RCA Victor
1963 Abilene 18 77
1964 Fort Worth, Dallas or Houston — —
1965 Mister Sincerity...A Tribute to Ernest Tubb 19 —
1966 Coast-Country 21 —
Steel Rail Blues 3 —
1967 Folk Country Classics 3 —
Folksy 21 —
1968 The Gentle Country Sound of George Hamilton IV 25 —
In the 4th Dimension 36 —
1969 Canadian Pacific — —
1970 The Best Of — —
Back Where It's At — —
1971 North Country 45 —
West Texas Highway — —
1972 Country Music in My Soul — —
Travelin' Light — —
International Ambassador — —
1973 Out West Country — —
1974 The Best Of Volume 2 (UK only) — —
"Greatest Hits" 35 —
1975 Trendsetter — —
Back to Down East Country — —
1976 Back Home at the Opry — —
1977 Fine Lace and Homespun Cloth — — Anchor
1978 Feels Like a Million — —
1979 Forever Young — — MCA
1982 Songs for a Winter's Night — — Ronco
1983 Country Beat — — Supraphon
1984 Music Man's Dream — — Range
1985 George Hamilton IV — — MCA
1986 American Country Gothic with The Moody Brothers — — Lamon Records
1990 HomeGrown with George Hamilton V — — Lamon Records
2004 Blue Ridge Sunday — — Lamon Records
2006 Heritage and Legacy — — Lamon Records
2010 Old Fashioned Hymns and Gospel Songs for Those Who Miss Them — — Lamon Records (US) and Hillcrest Recordings (Ireland)
2011 In The Heart Of Texas — — Heart Of Texas Records
2012 Luke The Drifter (The Other Side of Hank Williams) — — Lamon Records
Before This Day Ends
George Hamilton IV Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by George Hamilton IV:
a rose and a baby Doo, doo, doo, doo Doo, doo, doo, doo We had a quarrel …
A Rose And A Baby Ruth Doo, doo, doo, doo Doo, doo, doo, doo We had a quarrel A…
Abeline Abilene, Abilene Prettiest town I′ve ever seen Women there d…
Abilene Abilene, Abilene Prettiest town I've ever seen Women there d…
Above and Beyond Well a poor boy's chances for pretty girl's glances are…
Baby Blue Eyes I met her and with just a glance I thought…
Break My Mind Baby oh baby Tell the man at the ticket stand that…
Candy Apple Red He came speeding through the town each day at sundown And…
Carolina in My Mind In my mind I'm gone to Carolina Can't you see the…
Come on Home Boy He got a letter saying guess you don't remember me But…
Country Music in My Soul I been travelin' down the highways with my guitar for…
Early Mornin' Rain In the early morning rain with a dollar in my…
East Virginia I was born in East Virginia North Carolina I did…
Fair and Tender Ladies Come all ye fair and tender ladies take warning how…
Family Bible There's a family Bible on the table Each page is…
Forever Young May God's bless and keep you always May your wishes all…
Fort Worth Dallas Or Houston In Fort Worth Dallas or Houston or in San Antone There's…
Gee Gee, I saw the sweetest girl last night I wonder if…
Girl Of My Dreams Maybe it's foolish pretending a fool's paradise it may seem …
Go Go Round Where did the sunshine go why is it raining so Where…
God Is Alive Let the darkness flee. It's got no power over me. I have…
Half a Mind I don't love you like I used to do but…
I I don't believe I'll fall in love today old memories…
I Know Where I'm Goin' I know where I'm going, And I know who's going with…
I Love Music I don't believe I'll fall in love today old memories…
I Want A Girl I want a girl whose heart has been broken by…
I Will Miss You When You Go I will miss you when you go much more than…
I've Got a Secret Excuse me I think I've got a heartache and I'd…
If You Don't Know Well back in the country in my hometown I'm the…
If You Don't Somebody Else Will If you don't wanna kiss me say so baby Somebody else…
If You Dont Know I Aint Gonna Tell Well back in the country in my hometown I'm the…
If You Want Me To Well thunder roll and lighting flashing right through the mi…
It's Been So Long Darling It's been so long darling since I had to go…
Jimmie Brown The Newsboy I sell the morning papers sir my name is Jimmy…
Kentucky Kentucky you are the dearest land and sign of heaven…
Letters Have No Arms I just got your letter dearest sweetheart and darling I…
Life Life is like a mountain railroad With an engineer that's bra…
Linda With The Lonely Eyes I've got a funny feeling this mornin' on my paper…
Now and for Always Now and for always George Hamilton iv Now and for always I …
Oh So Many Years Oh these many years I've loved you no one has…
Only One Love Only one love, my darling (Only one) Only one dream (Only on…
Rainbow I'm saving my money to buy you a rainbow a…
Remember M Remember E Remember Me A boy loved a little girl a long time ago But…
Roll Muddy River Roll muddy river roll on muddy river roll on I've got…
Rose And A Baby Ruth Doo, doo, doo, doo Doo, doo, doo, doo We had a quarrel A…
Steel Rail Blues Well I got my mail late last night a letter…
Tender Hearted Baby I've got a tender hearted baby and the least little…
Thanks a Lot Thanks thanks a lot got a broken heart that's all…
The Everglades He was born and raised around Jacksonville A nice young man…
The Little Grave One winter's Eve I went a walking out beyond the…
The Roving Gambler I'm a roving gambler gambled all around Whenever I meet with…
The Wall There's a lot of strange men in cell Block 10…
There's More Pretty Girls Than One (There's more pretty girls than one) I am a rambling man…
Three Steps to the Phone It's only three steps to the phone I could say…
To You and Yours Now if you love your mama and you treat her…
Together again Together again My tears have stopped falling The long lonely…
Too Many Parties and Too Many Pals Too many parties and too many pals Will break your heart…
Truck Drivin (I'm a truck drivin' man) Well I stopped at a road…
Truck Drivin' Man (I'm a truck drivin' man) Well I stopped at a road…
Truck Driving Man (I'm a truck drivin' man) Well I stopped at a road…
Under your spell again You've got me under your spell again saying those things…
Urge for Going I awoke today and found the frost perched on the…
Walk In Love I don't believe I'll fall in love today old memories…
Walking the floor over you I'm walking the floor over you I can't sleep a…
When I Grow Too Old To Dream We have been gay, going our way Life has been beautiful,…
When Will I Know Ladedadeda, Ladedadeda When will I know Tell me how will it…
Where Did The Sunshine Go Where did the sunshine go why is it raining so Where…
Why Don't They Understand WHY DON'T THEY UNDERSTAND George Hamilton IV Why, why don…
Why Don’t They Understand Why don't they understand George Hamilton iv Why, why don't…
You Are My Sunshine [Chorus] You are my sunshine, my only sunshine You make me h…
You Nearly Lose Your Mind Now if you love your mama and you treat her…
Your Cheatin' Heart Your cheatin' heart Will make you weep You'll cry and cry An…
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James Hepburn
This record's been very popular with the C&W fans in Japan ever since they heard it in the early 60's. More popular there than it's ever been in the U.S.. I've been told they like the simple song & pure toned voice.
sam rowe
A HEART TOUCHING VOICE.
Alan Hanbridge
Nice one.
Mary Brandle
Now here we go.its timecyou brought it back.kind of nice isnt it.love it.peace
Doris Johansson
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️