Life Story: James Hamilton
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A jazz musician who entertained Minnesotans for decades, also spent time teaching hundreds of students, including Prince, but it was the piano that made James Hamilton so memorable.
He went by "Jimmy" and as a young man played with jazz bands across the country. Later in life, he spent 22 years at the Lafayette Club in Minnetonka Beach.
In this week's Life Story, we learned Hamilton loved sharing his musical talents with audiences and students.
He grew up in Alabama and learned to play the piano in church. His daughter Darla Hamilton described his passion for music.
"It was an extension of who he was. It brought him a lot of joy because that was the way he expressed himself," she said.
The family says in the 1950s Jimmy studied music at Tennessee State University. When he wasn't in class he was performing in jazz clubs and even had a short stint in the Ray Charles touring band.
When he arrived in Minnesota, Jimmy focused on teaching music in Minneapolis public schools. In the 1970s, he worked at Bryant Junior High and Central High School where a young Prince Rogers Nelson was a student.
"He talked about Prince. He really saw what Prince had to offer and he just knew he was going to make it," Darla said.
His daughter Darla remembers a Dad who taught during the day and had gigs at night. Jimmy taught music students at the University of Minnesota, Carleton College and St. Olaf.
"He loved jazz because he first started out with the Ray Charles band and the Count Basie band as a saxophone player," Darla said.
But she says some of his favorite memories were from his time at the Lafayette Club, where he entertained the dinner crowd for two decades. Scott Bremer is the general manager at the Lafayette Club.
"A family member, we lost a family member," Bremer said.
He told us Jimmy on the piano created a relaxing and fun atmosphere.
"He didn't have to look at any music. He would be talking to you about playing. He just made the keys come alive," he said.
Jimmy Hamilton was 80 years old when he died on Dec. 31.
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