DEATH OF A LEGEND: GEORGE HAMILTON IV

Ham_stry
GEORGE HAMILTON IV, a Grand Ole Opry fave, has left the green hills of Earth at 77.
 
Hamilton one of country's biggest international ambassadress died at a Nashville hospital after a heart attack, AP reported.
 
Not to be confused with “The Tan Man”, George Hamilton, the actor, GH IV had been an Opry member since 1960 after crossing over from pop to C&W – aka “country” for you young 'uns.
 
Hamilton said the made the decision after catching a performance of the Opry at Ryman Auditorium and he felt a strong kinship to the feuding, fussin' hard-drinking rascals of country.
 
Hamilton worked with producer guitar legend Chet Atkins on a number of hits.
 
He scored his first country No. 1 with "Abilene" in 1963.
 
In 1965, George followed with hits penned by songwriter Gordon Lightfoot “Steel Rail Blues” and “Early Morning Rain”.  
 
Not content to sit on his gold records, the hard-working showman traveled the world, bringing country music to Russia and Czechoslovakia, recording the first country album behind the so-called Iron Curtain of Eastern Europe.
 
Hamilton also hosted country-themed television shows in both the UK and Canada.
 
In 1958, Hamilton married his high school sweetheart, Adelaide Peyton akaTinky because of her childhood obsession with the famed  Peter Pan sidekick Tinker Bell. George and Tinky celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 2008 ,
 
Oddly enough, in the 1990s he played himself in the  UK West End msuical “patsy” based on the life of Patsy Cline.
 
In recent years, Hamilton could be found backstage at the Opry, giving personaltours and telling tales of Opry past.
"We've lost a member of our family," a post on the Opry's Twitter page said. "George Hamilton IV will be missed by all. Thanks for continued prayers."
 
Hamilton liked to perform for his Brit fans who still clamored for his early chartbusters"Early Morning Rain" and "Break My Mind." 
 
“I do about 20 minutes of hit records and then ease into country gospel for them," he said.
 
Adios, amigo.