In memory of Jim Hamill, there will be no trivia question today. I'd like to encourage you to post your favorite memories of this gospel music icon.

© CMG SGMRadio.com 2007

I've been reading some of the tributes to Jim Hamill and scanned the pictures on the SN site. I realize that Jim Hamill will always be associated with the Kingsmen but he did some outstanding work with other groups. His stints with the Rebels were noteworthy as was his time with the Blue Ridge Quartet and the Oak Ridge Boys (Quartet).

Dean

I sure hated to hear this. Jim was a wonderful singer/MC and such a
nice man. I bought albums etc. from Big Jim many times, and at the
Brumley sing I can remember Jim saying "let this man through, he
always buys something from than me",for he was always joking with
people who surrounded the Kingsmen table, and Jim probably sang with
more quartets than anyone-the possible exception being Jerry Redd, and Big Jim Hamill`s first professional quartet was the Melodymen from Iowa in 1953.

While I didn't see Jim much with the Rebels, I do have a few albums when he was with them. I know his fans with the Kingsmen have some favorite Jim Hamill songs, but the song that I love hearing Jim sing is on the Rebels' Skylite album, Somebody Touched Me........."Jesus Use Me". I also remember him, at one of the Grand Ole Gospel Reunion events, say that some of his best years were when he was singing with the Rebels.

Squire once told me, "When Hamill's right he's the best in the business." Fine MC, Terrific lead singer.

My heroes are leaving one by one!

When Jim first went with the Rebels, we sang with them at the fair grounds in Statesville, NC. My wife was "large with child" at the time. She wanted to meet all the Rebels. As we walked up to Jim, he said "My Lord woman, you look like you swallowed a watermellon". She has never forgotten that. Jim Has been a friend for many years and I will miss him. My favorite song that Jim sang is "I Owe It All To Him".

I can't tell all my Hamill stories . . . Rob would censor me again.

I was backstage at a outdoor singing and overheard Hamill and Foxy discussing the possibility of singing together. . . I can't repeat what they said. . .

When he was with the Rebels and I was about 14, he saw me looking over their records and said, "How much money you got, son?" I told him I had $6 and couldn't decide what to buy. He handed me their three latest records and said, "Don't forget us when you become a millionaire!"

He smacked me with his cane when I told him that he did his best singing before he joined "three chords and a cloud of dust". . .

One night, the Kingsmen were singing and Hamill says, "What do ya'll wanna hear?" I yelled "No More"!!! Well, he thought I was telling them to get off stage instead of wanting to hear him croon the Duane Allen song "No More". We finally got on the same page and he did a dynamite job singing that song. It's one of my favorite Hamill songs.

He once asked me if I could sing. I told him "just a little". He instructed me to "get my skinny butt in the choir" for he needed some little egos to counteract the big egos up on the stage.

Those were great, John!

He ruled that choir with an iron hand......er, cane.....didn't he?

Yes he did, Joe.

I soon learned that even Jesus would have a difficult time satisfying the desires of Hamill, Hovie, Ann Downing, and the Johnson Sisters.

I attended a Kingsmen concert in the early 80's. Jim told the audience that during the second half that they would sing request's. He instructed them to "only call out Kingsmen songs........not something that other group the Cathedral's try to do". After performing several request's from the crowd, Jim pointed to a man in the back of the auditorium. Much to the dismay of Hamill, the man called out the song "Rise Again". Jim's response was "is that the one the Cathedral's do"?........."when have you ever heard the Kingsmen do a song like that"? He then turned around and walked toward the back of the stage and said "somebody else is gonna have to sing it cause I don't know it". Ed Crawford began to sing "Rise Again". When he got to about the second line of the song, a boy in the crowd hollered out "Beautiful Home". Hamill stopped the song and asked him what he said, and the boy again said "Beautiful Home". Jim said....."who do you think you are hollering at me?".........."ok let's do "Beautiful Home" then we'll come back to that other one." After they had finished he said "alright go ahead and do that Cathedral's song now."

That was one of the best concerts I have ever been to. It seemed like you couldn't wear them out.......they just kept singing and singing.

Hamill was always one of my favorite emcee's. You always looked forward to the Kingsmen taking the stage to see what he would say. He seemed to be able to get away with more than most people.........kind of like J.D.











































after they had finished

I saw Big Jim with the Kingsmen only twice. In 1990 at the Jimmie Rogers Festival in Meridian, MS and in 1994 at the Firefighters Memorial Singing in Tuscaloosa, Al. At the Meridian concert Big Jim knew the others groups had gone overtime and did a shrotened set. He was very gracious about being shorted on the time. The other time I saw him he wasn't singing as much but he did a great job with his MC work.

My favorite songs that feature Jim are "Hide Thou Me," "How About You?", "I Owe It All to Him," "He'll Be to You," and his lead on the last verse of the Oak's version of "one of These Mornings." I've just discovered Big Jim's great lead singing during his time with the Rebels. Big Jim was certainly capable of singing more than just three chords and a cloud of dust. Big Jim was one of those people who are open and honest - no put on. As I get older I like that trait more and more. Life is too short to brown nose and pretend.

I look forward to singing around the throne with Big Jim one day. I thank God for giving us such a great singer and personality. May we never forget this great gospel singiner.

The first time I met Mr Hamill was when he was singing with th Oaks around 1963. They were singing in Texarkana ,Texas.I had not met Mr. Jim before and he was real friendly to me at the record table. I asked Smitty if he was going to sing "You'll Never Walk Alone" during the concert,he said his throat was a little sore. Big Jim said "Don't worry Daniel ,I can sing it also.Smitty just gave us that Big grin and went back to selling records. When they went back on stage ,Jim said "I have a request to sing " then Smitty cut him off abruptly.Then Smitty went on to sing the song . After the song Jim said with a smurk" I could have done Nearly that good. He was a excellent quartet man,super M.C. and was always nice to me when I went to Kingsmen concerts.

I have many memories of Jim Hamill and the Kingsmen. First,I remember seeing Jim sing with a CBI (now CBC) quartet from Springfield,Mo. in 1951 0r 1952 he later changed his singing style and became the Big Jim Hamill that became so famous in gospel music circles. I first heard Jim with the Kingsmen at the 1972 NQC- how Jim and the Kingsmen brought the house down with "Love Lifted Me". Then when they came off stage, they walked out into the hall and I forget what Big Jim Hamill said but Big John Broome said "you think them fat boys can`t sing"? (I was afraid he would fall on me, I was there with my brother), and in Springdale, Ark. Big Jim Hamill was very nice to me and everyone around The Kingsmen record table, and when he was with the Senators Quartet he came off stage and said "did that singin' go to suit ye"? And I have many memories of Jim when he returned to the Kingsmen, and too when Jim was with the Rebels, they were in Nashville to cut a record and my brother was there to record at the same time, and Big Jim Hamill came to the studio when he was recording.-God let us enjoy Big Jim Hamill for years.

I remember Jim from The kingsmens years
of the 70 through the 90's I guess. My Dad
and I attended a singing once in Greenwood,
SC and the Kingsmen were so energetic
and had so much fun singing but Jim also had
a lot of fun with the folks in the audiance when
they were not singing. We were in the balcony
area of this little civic center right behind Their
record table and I had so much fun watching
him cutup with people. He just seemed in
love with what he was doing

Joel and I went to Jim's memorial service yesterday. It was really good..A tremendous amount of singing...just like Jim would have wanted...Current Kingsmen and then a "choir" made up of former Kingsmen membert...the songs were songs the Kingsmen sang when JIm was with them. A lot of "4 cords and a cloud of dust" songs...Kingsmen style...During those songs, the folks attending the service clapped right along with the music...When they sang "Stand Up", the audience stood up just like it were a regular concert...I THINK JIM WOULD HAVE APPROVED. Some of the former Kingsmen attending were Arthur Rice, Gary Sheppard, Ed Crawford, original Kingsmen member Raymond McKinney, one of the first Kingsmen pianist Ray Talley, Tony Peace, Greg Fox , Squire Parsons and many others. Quite a few folks from the SGM industry were in attendance as well.