Roy Hamilton

Born in Leesburg, Georgia on April 16, 1929, Roy Hamilton's big booming voice would influence future stars like Jackie Wilson and Elvis Presley.

As a teenager he was singing in a church choir and won a talent contest at the fame Apollo Theatre in 1947, but it was not until 1954 that his “You’ll Never Walk Alone” exploded on the pop charts and reached #1 on the R&B Hit Parade.

In the same year “If I Loved You”, “Ebb Tide” and “Hurt” further introduced Roy to fans in America and internationally. In 1955 his “Unchained Melody” was top ten on the pop charts and topped the R&B surveys at #1. “Forgive This Fool” and “Without a Song” followed on the charts in the same year. In 1958 Roy Hamilton rocked with “Don’t Let Go” and in 1961 “You Can Have Her”, both top ten hits.

Epic Records released 16 albums, many of them still available today.

Sadly Roy Hamilton suffered a stroke and died in New Rochelle, New York on July 20, 1969 at just 40 years of age.