The Gaither Homecoming videos, as followers of gospel music by now are particularly aware, were something of an accident at the outset. Bill Gaither’s sole purpose in getting together a collection of gospel legends for a single number on a Gaither Vocal Band project was to honor the pioneers in the Alexandria native’s chosen field.
The videos, of course, took on a life of their own. The CD version of one of the latest, “Amazing Grace,” is one of the nominees in its category for a Grammy Award this year.
Everyone who’s anyone in the Southern gospel field, along with many artists in associated fields including country, black gospel and contemporary Christian, have appeared on the videos (now primarily DVDs). And in part due to the ages many of these legends had attained, the role of those who have died since their initial appearances has continued to grow.
The latest to depart from this realm in favor of a place in heaven is big Jim Hamill. The longtime Kingsmen lead singer and front man died a month or so ago at age 73.
Hamill, whose health had been problematic of late, hadn’t been a regular on the Homecoming tour. But he made several appearances, singing a couple of solos and spinning one or two of his famous stories.
Born Aug. 10, 1934, in Big Stone Gap, Va., Hamill was the son of an Assembly of God preacher, growing up with Cecil Blackwood, who spent many years with the Blackwood Brothers. The two formed a group in Memphis, Tenn., the Songfellows, while they were still in their teens. One of those who auditioned for the group – but wasn’t accepted because his style just didn’t fit in with the quartet’s goals – was a young Elvis Presley.
Hamill went on to sing with the Weatherfords, the Blue Ridge Quartet, the Rebels, the Oak Ridge Quartet, the Senators and finally the Kingsmen.
He was no lightweight, either musically or physically. In fact, when he joined the Kingsmen in the 1970s, joining also-portly Eldridge Fox and 400-pound backup musician John Broome, that quartet picked up the nickname “Ton of Fun.” That despite tenor Ernie Phillips, who was a foot shorter and 150 to 200 pounds lighter than Hamill.
Make no mistake, Hamill could sing. One of his favorite numbers was “Love Lifted Me.” He also loved recitations, “The Apple Tree Song” being one of his classics, a gospel version of the secular “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree.”
But Hamill was even better as a front man, emceeing the programs and introducing the numbers. In his later years he preferred to hire younger lead singers, showcasing gospel musicians who would eventually become some of the industry’s best known names.
Physical problems led to his semiretirement from the road, still appearing occasionally with the Kingsmen. But he continued making occasional solo appearances as long as his health permitted.
The Singing News reported that like many of the industry’s old-timers, Hamill had accrued few retirement benefits and had exhausted his resources in battling his and his wife’s increasing ailments.
Big Jim Hamill fits the prototype of the gospel artists the Homecoming videos are all about. And he’s probably somewhere up there right now swapping stories with the artists who preceded him.
(Jim Bailey’s column appears on Sunday. He can be reached by e-mail at jameshenrybailey@earthlink.net.)
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JIM BAILEY: Jim Hamill was a big man in gospel music
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