George Hamilton IV, currently celebrating his sixth decade in the music business, enjoys his status as one of country music's foremost entertainers, both at home and internationally.
Although based in Nashville, Tennessee, both Canada and the British Isles could be equally "home" to him. But his travels have taken to far more distant areas and, back in the early 1970s, George IV set the pace by being the first entertainer to bring "live" country music to Moscow and Prague, locations known back then as behind the "Iron Curtain". It was such ground-breaking achievements that secured him the title International Ambassador of Country Music, an award bestowed upon him by the much respected trade publication, Billboard.
Further recognition of his globe trotting activities came in 2006 when the United States Ambassador to England, Robert H. Tuttle, gave a special reception in London to celebrate George IV's 50th Anniversary in music and his unique contributions to the globalization of Country Music.
Although he always had his sights set on a country music career, things didn't quite work out that way at the start. Born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, he first caught the public's attention when A Rose And A Baby Ruth jettisoned him into the Top Ten pop charts, launched him as a "teen idol" and swiftly put him on tour with such as Buddy Holly, Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bobby Darin, the Everly Brothers and other iconic rock 'n' rollers. This period of his life subsequently earned him induction into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame in 2006.
George's country music ambitions became a reality when he moved his family to Nashville in 1959 and, a year later, became a member of the Grand Ole Opry (the weekly radio show that had initially fuelled his musical ambitions as a youngster and, as a member, he celebrated his 50th anniversary this past February) and signed with RCA Records. His breakthrough song came with Before This Day Ends and, in 1962, scored number one with Abilene, a recording that quickly became his trademark song. Fort Worth, Dallas Or Houston, another high chart success, quickly followed alongside such as Truck Driving Man and Break My Mind. In the late 1970s his recordings took on a more decidedly "folksy" approach and Steel Rail Blues, Early Morning Rain, Urge For Going and Canadian Pacific secured him the role as leader of Nashville's "Folk-Country" movement.
He made his first visit to Britain in 1967 and quickly built up a loyal following through record releases, several television series, concert tours and, for many years, handling host duties at the annual Wembley Country Music Festivals. He starred in a London West End musical, Patsy (the story of the legendary Patsy Cline), which later went on lengthy tours throughout the UK and Ireland.
George IV has found equal public support for his religious appearances, which commenced as a frequent musical guest of Dr. Billy Graham, and won him the Gospel Music Association's Dove Award in 1988.
With over a half century in the entertainment business, and a stack of awards to his credit, George Hamilton IV has matched hectic tour schedules with an equally vast amount of recordings - over 120 albums to date. And his stage persona is genuine: he really is as nice a person offstage as he appears onstage, always finding time to chat with his audiences. The chance to find out comes when he visits Knebworth, an area he knows from a previous visit, and presents a very special evening of songs and stories at the Village Hall on Tuesday, May 18.
You can read more about George on Wikipedia.
