Died On This Date (December 23, 1994) Dan Hamilton / Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds

themusicsover December 23, 2009 94 Comments

Dan Hamilton
June 1, 1946 – December 23, 1994

Dan Hamilton was the founding lead singer and guitarist of Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds, a soft-rock band who came to prominence thanks to a string of hits during the ’70s.  Before the formation of the band however, Hamilton found some success as a songwriter, penning “Diamond Head,” which was a minor hit for the Ventures.  Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds formed in 1965 as the T-Bones, the backing band for Hamilton’s brother, actor Judd Hamilton who had just been signed to Liberty Records.   In 1970, they signed their own deal and changed their name to Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds.  It was then they began releasing such hits as “Don’t Pull Your Love,” and “Fallin’ In Love.”  In 1993, Hamilton suddenly developed an illness that baffled his doctors.  He went from a physically active man to one who had difficulty walking and doing most other physical activities.  It was eventually determined that he was suffering from a rare hormone disorder called Cushing’s Syndrome.  Dan Hamilton was 48 when he died as a result of the condition on December 23, 1994.