Died On This Date (July 20, 1969) Roy Hamilton / ’50s R&B Singer
themusicsover Roy Hamilton
April 16, 1929 – July 20, 1969
Roy Hamilton was a popular and influential R&B singer in the ’50s. A former heavy weight Golden Gloves boxer, Hamilton began his musical career as part of the gospel group, the Searchlight Singers in the late ’40s. Over the course of his career as a solo artist, Hamilton scored several Top 15 hits including, “Unchained Melody,” “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” and “Don’t Let Go.” He is said to have been a direct influence on the Righteous Brothers and Jackie Wilson. Hamilton died at the age of 40 shortly after suffering a stroke.
What You Should Own
Van McCoy was a musician, producer, arranger and prolific songwriter who has penned upwards of 700 songs during his career. But, he is perhaps best remembered for just one, “The Hustle,” which was massive disco hit of 1975 and to this day, arguably defines the era. McCoy began singing in the church choir as a child and by his early teens, he and his brother were performing as a doo wop duo. While in college, McCoy started his own record label to release his first single, “Hey Mr. DJ.” He was soon hired by Scepter Records as an A&R rep and songwriter. Over the years, he penned hits for Gladys Knight & The Pips (“Giving Up”), Barbara Lewis (“Baby, I’m Yours”), the Shirelles (“Stop The Music”) and 
As one of R&B’s unsung heroes, Little Willie John sang with a robust voice and an emotional range that would be cited as an influence by no less than 