Background
Hamilton, Frank Strawn was born on August 3, 1934 in New York City. Son of Frank Strawn and Gladys (Bley) Hamilton.
composer educator arranger jazz musician
Hamilton, Frank Strawn was born on August 3, 1934 in New York City. Son of Frank Strawn and Gladys (Bley) Hamilton.
Student, Los Angeles City College, 1952-1953; student, Chicago Museum College, 1959-1962; student, Los Angeles Valley College, 1963-1964.
He was the house musician for The Gate of Horn in Chicago, the nation"s first folk music nightclub. As a young man, Hamilton met and played with Woody Guthrie at Will Geer"s artist colony in Topanga, California in the mid-1950s. In 1956 Frank Hamilton met Win Stracke and Dawn Greening (who started the Old Town School of Folk Music in her kitchen in Oak Park) at the Gate of Horn.
There they developed a teaching method with an emphasis on group learning.
On the opening night, Frank taught the class a song demonstrated by Big Bill Broonzy. Frank served as dean of the school also teaching guitar and banjo.
He taught Jim to play the 12-string guitar and the banjo. Frank left teaching when he joined The Weavers, with whom he played from 1962-1963.
As a performer, he has recorded for Folkways Records and, as a member of the folk group The Weavers, for Vanguard Records, as well as for Philips and several other labels and appeared at the first Newport Folk Festival in 1959. He was also a member of The Weavers in the early 1960s.
Married Sheila Lofton, November 7, 1957 (divorced November 1971). Children: Cameron Auguste (deceased 1998), Evan Baird, Liam Christopher (deceased October 2001), Heather Alexa. Married Deeanne Lee Walter, May 5, 1972 (divorced October 1980).
Married Mary Doyle, January 15, 1983.