Dan Hamilton (musician)

Hamilton became a musician at the age of 16 and was a songwriter and session musician.[4]

In 1963, he was a member of The Avantis. The group was made up of Mexican-Americans brothers, Pat and Lolly Vegas who were from Fresno, California, Hamilton and drummer Mike Kowalski. When the brothers came to LA, Pat said to his brother Lolly that they needed a new guitarist. Lolly said to his brother that they didn't and Pat replied "Maybe we do". Then Hamilton joined. The group became a support act for the Beach Boys. Later in 1963 the group changed their name and were going by the name of Pat & Lolly Vegas, and Pat & Lolly worked as the house band of LA's Haunted House Nightclub.[5][6]

Hamilton composed several songs for The Ventures. The most notable of these is "Diamond Head",[7] which the band recorded for their Walk, Don't Run, Vol. 2 album. Diamond Head became an international hit single for Hamilton and the Ventures. For the week ending March 13, 1965, "Diamond Head had moved up two notches from #4 to #2 in the Hong Kong Top Ten.[8] The following week it had reached #1 there.[9] The song became Japan's first million-seller and sold more than 1,850,000 copies there. It was a hit in Iran and got to #70 in the US.[10] The song was later covered by the Aqua Velvets[11] and Susan & The Surftones.[12] Hamilton wrote several other songs for the Ventures throughout the 1960s, such as "War of the Satellites", "Escape" (which was originally called "Target"), "Wild And Wooly", "Kandy Koncoction", and "The Gallop".

Two of his compositions - "Bullseye" and "No Exit" - were recorded by Mel Taylor and the Magics and appear on the In Action! album which was released in 1966.[13]

Around 1966, he was a member of The T-Bones. After leaving The T-Bones, Dan Hamilton along with Joe Frank Carollo and Tommy Reynolds, also members of The T-Bones, played the clubs around Los Angeles. They were called The Brothers.[14]

In 1970, Hamilton and Tommy Reynolds co-founded Hamilton Joe Frank & Reynolds with Joe Frank Carollo. They had a million dollar smash hit with "Don't Pull Your Love".[15] Hamilton was the guitarist and main songwriter for the group. Along with Ann Hamilton, he co-composed the hit "Fallin' in Love" which was a hit for HJF&R, reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1975. It was later a hit for La Bouche in 1996 with their version reaching #35 in the Hot 100.[16]

Between those two hit records, Hamilton had a 1972 solo release entitled, "Don't Wait Up for Me Tonight" bw "On the Other Hand", which was credited to Danny Hamilton & Spoondrift. It was released on Dunhill 4320[17][18] It even saw a release in New Zealand on Probe PROBE.44.[19]

In Hamilton's final years, he and his brother were recording a country music album as The Hamilton Brothers.[20]