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Quite obviously, my name is Jeffrey Hamilton. I'm a singer/songwriter, born, raised and currently living in a small town southwest of Chicago, IL.
I was born into a very musical family and quickly learned to love music from the cradle, I'm told. My father holds the distinction of being part of the only band to be signed by a major label (RCA) from this area back in the mid-seventies and still plays today. He's a fantastic guitar player and my main musical 'Influence'. My mother was/is no performer... She's a nurse. However, She LOVES all kinds of music and between she and my father, I received a Doctorate in rock and roll at an early age, having been exposed to everything from your more pedestrian (But still brilliant) stuff i.e.; The Beatles, The Stones, The Who etc. To more eclectic and experimental stuff i.e.; Zappa, The Police, Tom waits and many more. It's safe to say, that I knew what I wanted to do from a young age... Music, was the best!
As I became a teenager, I started playing drums in garage bands, quickly moving to guitar by 15 and by 17, I was the lead-singer of my own band, playing clubs and paying my dues and did so until my early 20's when I decided to move to Seattle.
By this time I had my own musical influences. I loved the melodic-punk of 'The Pixies,' the creativity and primal-angst of 'Nirvana,' the musicality of 'Adrian Belew' but most of all, the songwriting of 'Paul Westerberg,' (The replacements.) During this time in Seattle, I was able to find 3 like-minded guys and form a band called 'The Morning Field' who opened and headlined shows with a who's-who list of major acts at the time.
Due to substance abuse (not mine) causing some bad shows and no-shows, 'The Morning Field' disbanded. By this time I had met my future wife and we decided to move to her hometown of Reno, NV. Although it was not a concious choice, this is when I put my guitars in the closet and went to work as a broadcaster. I had a home-studio and continued to write and record during this period, some of the material on my new album was recorded during this time, actually. However, I made no personal appearances (musically) during my 5-6 years in Reno. Instead, I focused on my broadcasting career and my marriage (to the best of my ability.)
After 5-6 long years and a smart real-estate investment, I returned to Seattle in 2004 with an upgraded studio and all the time in the world to finish that album I had always wanted to record. I spent the next several months writing new material with a full view of the Space Needle visible from my studio. This was a semi-peaceful and prolific time for me. The recordings made in both my studios in Reno and Seattle comprise my debut, solo-album 'Kick in the Crotch' with the one exeption being the song 'Stalled' which I recorded in Dixon, IL. and was the last song I wrote in Seattle before the disintigration of my marriage and my ultimate return to Illinois.
My homecoming has been bitter-sweet and that's all I feel the need to share. However, the two years I've spent back home have been productive, releasing two albums with different projects. I released an album with my longtime side-project 'Slugbuzz' a record I'm very proud of and feel will 'Age' well and most recently, my long procratinated but not highly anticipated debut, solo-album 'Kick In The Crotch,' (a paraphrased line from baseball legend, Ty Cobb.) Both albums have done very well (all things considered) and since I won't be touring in support of 'Kick In The Crotch' I am re-joining 'Slugbuzz' for a second album and I'm looking very forward to it.
That said, my solo work will continue as I plan on getting to work on a second disc after a short vacation following the completion of the 'Slugbuzz' album.
Check back often for up-dates and the occassional show-date and thanks again for your continued interest and support.-Jeffrey Hamilton-
