Biography

Born July 19, 1937 in Winston Salem, North Carolina, George Hamilton IV was known as the International Ambassador of Country Music, as he shared his songs with fans around the world. He was the first American Country Singer to appear in Russia and Czechoslovakia and the first to have his own British TV series on the BBC. He performed at the first “International Festival of Country Music in Sweden, Finland, Holland, Norway, Germany, Paris, and Vienna”, but even with all of that, George always seemed to be just as happy singing for the congregation of a small church in the country as he was to a full house at the Grand Ole Opry. His hit records were on the pop, country, folk and gospel charts, giving him a broad appeal to people of all ages, with many different tastes in music. It began with the pop hit, “A Rose and A Baby Ruth” in 1956. Then his country career jumped into high gear with the No. 1 record, “Abilene” in 1963. Other major recordings included “Early Morning Rain”, “Truck Driving Man”, and “Break My Mind”.

When George moved to Nashville, Tennessee, Chet Atkins signed him to RCA Victor and he joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1960. During his busy career he was a frequent soloist with Dr. Billy Graham’s Crusades. Along the way, George always took time to encourage other artists in their passion to share the music; such was the case with The Captain’s Crew. George loved the Outer Banks and when he played there and around his home states, he always invited The Captain’s Crew to join him. Not only did the band back George on his songs, but he made sure there was time for them to share their music with his fans, friends and family. George Hamilton IV and The Captain’s Crew played and sang together at MerleFest, Singing on the Mountain, the Cowboy Church and Midnight Jamboree in the Troubadour Theatre in Nashville, Tennessee, as well as many other venues and churches across the state.

The year 2007 saw George and the Crew’s release of the still popular CD “Tenderly Calling”, on Lamon Records, a collection of hymns written by Fanny Crosby. It was an exciting moment when George and the Crew appeared on a TV special about George’s life, broadcast on both commercial and public TV across the country. It was during the live taping of this program that the songs on this album were recorded. Four of the songs were included in the show and the remaining six were put away with the intention of one day producing a CD. Unfortunately, before the project could be completed on September 17, 2014, God called his servant, George Hamilton IV, home.

Recently those original tracks were remixed with overdubs from instrumentalist David Johnson and mastered at Crossroads Studio in Arden, North Carolina.

Members of The Captain’s Crew heard on the album include Ken Mann on guitar and melodica, Jack Cahoon on bass, Rocky Creef on piano, Roy Riddick on drums, Eddie Francis, Bill Rea, Connie Francis, Connie Bateman and Will Fields on vocals. The Album cover was designed by Bob Furr, of Gulfstream Creative, in Kill Devil Hills, NC.

Not only are these the last live recordings with the Crew, they may very well be some of the very last recordings from George Hamilton IV. So, for his thousands of fans around the world, it is with great pride we share with you today “George Hamilton IV, Live in the Moment, with the Captain’s Crew”.