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This collection has access restrictions. For details, please see the restrictions.
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held in the Wilson Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in our reading room, and not digitally available through the World Wide Web. See the FAQ section for more information.
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Collection Overview
| Size | 7.0 feet of linear shelf space (approximately 2300 items) |
| Abstract | Country musician and native North Carolinian George Hamilton IV was born on 19 July 1937. In 1956, while a student at the University of North Carolina, Hamilton recorded the song "A Rose and a Baby Ruth" for Colonial Records, a local label. From that recording, Hamilton went on make the transition to country music. He soon became a mainstay at the Grand Ole Opry and, through his work abroad, eventually became known as the International Ambassador of Country Music. The collection includes audiovisual materials, papers, posters, and photographs pertaining to the life and career of George Hamilton IV. Audio recordings consist of audiocassettes, open reel recordings, and transcription disc recordings of perfomances, interviews, radio shows, and an early recording session, all featuring Hamilton. Included are recordings of the BBC's How the West Was Sung; Country Crossroads; The Ralph Emery Show ; a recording of Hamilton's first performance at the Grand Ole Opry; a 1956 recording session at Colonial Records; interviews for BBC Radio and Radio Scotland; and other recorded performances and interviews. Also in the collection is a demo tape of "Gentle on My Mind" by John Hartford. Visual materials include films and videotapes of television shows and promotional spots from the United States, Great Britain, and Canada. Papers consist of newspaper clippings, press releases and other promotional materials, programs, correspondence, posters, and other materials pertaining to Hamilton's career. Photographs consist of both professional and candid photographs of George Hamilton IV, his family and friends, and associated musicians and music industry professionals, including David Allan, Chet Atkins, Jiri Brabec, Charles Chilton, Jim Clark, Patsy Cline, Mervyn Conn, Clarence Count, Country Express, Skeeter Davis, Pat Derry, Bruce Eller, Connie B. Gay, Walt Grealis, Rolf Harris, The Hillsiders, Frank Ifield, Gordon Lightfoot, John D. Loudermilk, Loretta Lynn, Miki & Griff, Jimmy Moore, Anne Murray, Olivia Newton-John, Jack Rodgers, Slim Whitman, Wally Whyton, and Paul Yandell. |
| Creator | Hamilton, George, 1937- |
| Language | English |
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Information For Users
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Subject Headings
The following terms from Library of Congress Subject Headings suggest topics, persons, geography, etc. interspersed through the entire collection; the terms do not usually represent discrete and easily identifiable portions of the collection--such as folders or items.
Clicking on a subject heading below will take you into the University Library's online catalog.
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Related Collections
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Biographical Information
George Hamilton IV was born on 19 July 1937 in Winston-Salem, N.C. On 18 June 1956, while a student at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, N.C., Hamilton recorded the song, "A Rose and a Baby Ruth" (written by John D. Loudermilk) for Orville Campbell's Colonial Records, also in Chapel Hill. From that recording, which became a hugely successful pop teen hit, Hamilton went on make the transition to country music; become a mainstay at the Grand Ole Opry; and, through his work abroad, become recognized as the International Ambassador of Country Music.
By the late 1950s, Hamilton had moved to Washington, D.C., and become a regular performer (with Patsy Cline, for a time) on Jimmy Dean's "Town and Country Jamboree" show. He had also toured with Bobby Darin, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, and the Everly Brothers, along with many other well-known pop stars, and made numerous national television appearances. Although "A Rose and a Baby Ruth," acquired by ABC-Paramount Records, had become the label's first million-selling record, in January 1960, feeling miscast as a teen pop singer and following his love of country music, Hamilton and his young family moved to Nashville.
On 8 February 1960, Hamilton officially became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Later that year, he began recording for RCA Records, having been signed by Chet Atkins. In 1963, John D. Loudermilk's "Abilene" became a number-one hit for Hamilton on the country charts and reached the top 20 in pop. His interest in Canadian songwriters became evident in the late 1960s when he recorded songs by Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Buffy Sainte-Marie, and Gordon Lightfoot. In 1969, his first record of all Canadian music was released. Hamilton's internationalism was also shown by a long-standing involvement with the annual International Festival of Country Music, held at Wembley (UK), which began that same year. An association with the BBC also developed as Hamilton hosted many programs--variety and documentary--that showcased country music. His performance at Moscow University in 1974 was the first for an American country music performer. Other "first" performances on this tour were in Hungary, Poland, and Czechoslovakia. Later that year, Billboard Magazine began to refer to Hamilton as the "International Ambassador of Country Music."
In 1971, Hamilton left Nashville and the Grand Ole Opry for Charlotte, N.C., to join the broadcasts of Arthur Smith's country music televison show. He continued to work overseas while also maintaining a busy touring schedule in the United States. In the 1990s, he became involved with several musical theater and concert productions that featured the work of Patsy Cline, with Irish singer Sandy Kelly playing the title role.
Hamilton has continued to record country, folk, and gospel albums, including two with his son, George Hamilton V. In 2006, he celebrated his 50th year as a recording artist, which included a special reception hosted in London by the United States Ambassador to Britain.
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Scope and Content
The George Hamilton IV Collection includes audiovisual materials, papers, posters, and photographs pertaining to the life and career of the country singer and guitarist. Audio recordings consist of audiocassettes, open reel recordings, and transcription disc recordings of perfomances, interviews, radio shows, and an early recording session, all featuring Hamilton. Included are recordings of the BBC's How the West Was Sung; Country Crossroads; The Ralph Emery Show ; a recording of Hamilton's first performance at the Grand Ole Opry; a 1956 recording session at Colonial Records; interviews for BBC Radio and Radio Scotland; and other recorded performances and interviews. Also in the collection is a demo tape of "Gentle on My Mind" by John Hartford. Visual materials include films and videotapes of television shows and promotional spots from the United States, Great Britain, and Canada. Papers consist of newspaper clippings, press releases and other promotional materials, programs, correspondence, posters, and other materials pertaining to Hamilton's career. Photographs consist of both professional and candid photographs of George Hamilton IV, his family and friends, and associated musicians and music industry professionals, including David Allan, Chet Atkins, Jiri Brabec, Charles Chilton, Jim Clark, Patsy Cline, Mervyn Conn, Clarence Count, Country Express, Skeeter Davis, Pat Derry, Bruce Eller, Connie B. Gay, Walt Grealis, Rolf Harris, The Hillsiders, Frank Ifield, Gordon Lightfoot, John D. Loudermilk, Loretta Lynn, Miki & Griff, Jim Moore, Anne Murray, Olivia Newton-John, Jack Rodgers, Slim Whitman, Wally Whyton, and Paul Yandell.
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Series Quick Links
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Series 1. Audio Recordings, 1956-2006.
Arrangement: By format: audiocassettes followed by open reel and transcription disc recordings. Dated items generally appear first and in chronological order. Undated items follow.
Recordings of performances, interviews, radio shows, and an early recording session by George Hamilton IV.
Note that original titles have, for the most part, been retained.
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Subseries 1.1. Audiocassettes.
Arrangement: Multi-tape broadcast series appear first, followed by dated items in chronological order. Undated items follow.
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Subseries 1.2. Open Reel Recordings.
| Audiotape FT-12805 |
Colonial Records recording session, George Hamilton IV, Chapel Hill, N.C., 18 June 1956 #20410, Subseries: "1.2. Open Reel Recordings." FT-12805"It Was Me" and "I'll Always Remember." 5-inch audiotape |
| Audiotape FT-12806 |
First Grand Ole Opry performance by George Hamilton IV, NBC Radio broadcast, 21 November 1959 #20410, Subseries: "1.2. Open Reel Recordings." FT-12806Includes performances of "A Rose and a Baby Ruth," with the Jordaniares backing up and "Little Tom." Ernest Tubb also performs along with others. 7-inch audiotape |
| Audiotape FT-12807 |
Interview: George Hamilton IV and Larry Adams (KCS [?] with George Hamilton IV; 21-22 October [no year]. 10-inch audiotape #20410, Subseries: "1.2. Open Reel Recordings." FT-12807 |
| Audiotape FT-12808 |
"Gentle on My Mind," John Hartford, voice and banjo, undated. 5-inch audiotape #20410, Subseries: "1.2. Open Reel Recordings." FT-12808 |
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Subseries 1.3. Transcription Disc Recordings.
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Subseries 1.4. ,Audiodiscs 1957-1987.
Arrangement:Chronological .
This subseries contains long-playing records by George Hamilton IV and his son George Hamilton V, who also recorded under the name Hege V. Also included is a 45 RPM single by George Hamilton V.
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Subseries 1.5. ,Compact Discs .
Arrangement: By Artist.
This subseries contains recordings on compact disc by George Hamilton IV and his son, George Hamilton V, who also recorded as Hege V
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Subseries 1.6. 8-Track Tape , 1973.
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Series 2. Films, 1971, 1976 and
undated.
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Series 3. Videotapes, 1969-2006
and undated.
Arrangement: By format; by subject; when possible, dated items appear first.
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Series 4. Papers, 1955-2006 and
undated.
Arrangement: By type of material, roughly chronological
Includes newspaper and magazine clippings, promotional materials (press releases, flyers, posters, and general), top tune charts, broadcast rundowns, awards, correspondence, miscellaneous papers, and miscellaneous publications.
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Subseries 4.1. Clippings, 1955-2003.
Arrangement: chronological by decade.
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Subseries 4.2. Promotional materials, 1955-2003.
Arrangement: By type, chronological when possible.
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Subseries 4.3. Performance Programs.
Arrangement: By type and chronological.
Includes programs from large international festivals to small single performances and religious services
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Subseries 4.4. Other Materials.
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Subseries 4.5. Posters, 1965-2006.
Posters collected by George Hamilton IV while on tours in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Japan. Most posters advertise live concert appearances by George Hamilton IV or festivals in which he performed, but there are also posters from the Nashville Room in London advertising performances by Michael Nesmith, Jerry Reed, Buddy Knox, and Hank Locklin. Posters promoting album releases by George Hamilton IV as well as items pertaining to his appearance as marshal in a Charlotte, N.C., parade are also included. Note that the years relating to some posters are unknown.
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Series 5. Photographs, 1955-2000
and undated.
Arrangement: Roughly by size.
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Items Separated
Processed by: Marc Brodsky, May 2007
Encoded by: Marc Brodsky and Carrie Stubblefield, May/June 2007
Updated by: James McGlothlin, May 2007
Diacritics and other special characters have been omitted from this finding aid to facilitate keyword searching in web browsers.
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