George Hamilton IV, Rock 'n' Roll-Turned-Country-and-Western Singer, R.I.P.

George Hamilton IV, a former Rock 'n' Roll singer who found his true calling singing Country, Western, and Folk songs in the 1960s and afterward, passed away this past Wednesday in Nashville at age 77, four days after having suffered a heart attack.

As a teenager in 1956, the North Carolina-born Mr. Hamilton scored a major hit with "A Rose and A Baby Ruth," which reached #6 on Billboard's pop chart and sold in the neighborhood of one million copies.

While he scored several more pop hits during the late 1950s (though none as big as his first), George yearned to be a Country and Western singer, in the mode of such stars he admired as a young lad, such as Gene Autry, and Tex Ritter, amongst others.


By 1960, he became a member of Nashville's Grand Ole Opry, where he would appear dozens of times over the course of the next half century.

When he became known as the "international ambassador of country music, " this wasn't hype, but the truth, as he performed in numerous countries all over the world.


Among George's biggest C&W hits: "Abilene" in 1963, which shot to the top of the country chart while reaching the Top 20 on the pop chart.  Other hits include "Before This Day Ends, " "Steel Rail Blues," the Gordon Lightfoot-penned "Early Morning Rain," and the Ray Griff-composed "Canadian Pacific," which reached #1 in Canada.

Here's George's classic recording of Canadian Pacific.

Thanks for the memories, George.  And Rest in Peace.