Published in The Parrot Magazine August 2010
Hamilton Loomis was born on Galveston Island, Texas
For most musicians some days are better than others but the day Bo Diddley places his hat on your head (on stage) and proclaims you to be “the next Bo Diddley” is a day that will generally stand out from the rest.
It was that day in 1991 for BOI (Born On the Island) guitarist, Hamilton Loomis, then 16 years old, that kept the songwriter, and showman singing and playing his blend of rock, blues and soul with all the enthusiasm you’d expect from someone carrying a torch passed from one of rock & roll’s greatest pioneers.
It doesn’t hurt, on the hard road of musician life, that Hamilton Loomis is an optimist at heart. Best Worst Day, a song form his 2007 CD Ain’t Just Temporary is evidence. Though frequently categorized as a blues artist, Hamilton admits to rejecting both the notion of labeling his music into one genre, or that blues music itself has to be about suffering.
“I’ve had a lot of time to think about what ‘blues’ means, and it’s basically just a way of telling a story. Willie Dixon wrote some of the greatest blues songs on the planet but he also wrote: just like a boll weevil love his cotton, an old dog love his bone, I love my baby, and I don’t care who know. So I ask you, does this cease to be blues?”
Loomis went so far as to recently drop his record label, Blind Pig, and form his own company largely on the premise that they were promoting him strictly as a blues artist.
“I had the amazing experience of learning from guys like Johnny Copeland, Albert Collins, Gatemouth Brown and of course, Bo Diddley, but I don’t want to duplicate what the masters did. I’m going to write about my experiences and attitudes towards things. I think it’s important that younger generations understand that most of our popular music today came from blues music. Guys like Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Jonny Lang are about my age, and when we were coming up it was great to see teenagers coming to shows getting exposure to blues. But we have to take it to a new level, which is why I incorporate elements of soul, funk and rock into my music.”
Growing up on Galveston Island and listening to his parents records (everything from The Beatles to Bo Diddley) helped develop Hamilton’s personal style but he also sites the region itself as a big influence as well.
“The Texas Gulf Coast is a great melting pot of styles. You’re very close to Louisiana so you get some Cajun and Zydeco sounds. Gatemouth Brown was a big influence on my style. Bobby Bland recorded here in the 60’s. ZZ Top, of course, with their sound. They even wrote about the Balinese Room.”
Hurricane Ike wiped out the legendary Balinese Room but Hamilton Loomis, like so many musician’s who played the famous nightclub on the Gulf, (Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Duke Ellington) have fond memories.
“I’ve yet to find a place to match the vibe that place had. Such a rich history, a true Galveston icon.”
Hamilton Loomis is having a successful career by anyone’s standards but when he isn’t performing at one of nearly 175 live dates a year, everywhere from Galveston to Australia, he’s at home in Katy, Texas doing the work of any musician today trying to make a living in music: maintaining his website, writing, rehearsing, mailing out CD’s and promo packages.
“I’m a bit of a control freak so maybe I do more than I should. I’m happiest on stage though. That’s when I’m in my element. I’m really fortunate to be working, to have a full schedule.”
You can see Hamilton Loomis live Friday, June, 18th in Galveston at Moody Gardens. For a taste of what you might hear live check out www.HamiltonLoomis.com and listen to samples from his latest CD Live In England. Complete concert listings are also on the site along with CD ordering and downloading opportunities.
Hamilton Loomis with his Bo Diddly guitar
