Hamilton Loomis

Life and career

Loomis was born in Galveston, Texas, United States, to musical parents and he learnt to play the drums, piano, guitar and harmonica at an early age. In his teenage years, he was part of a doo-wop singing family group, who performed at the Delta Blues Festival. Having broken away from this stricture, Loomis began playing solo and met a number of renowned blues musicians. Loomis later commented, "When I was coming up in the music scene, I was lucky to have musical mentors like Joe "Guitar" Hughes, Johnny Copeland, and of course, rock icon Bo Diddley,” stated Loomis. “These ‘veterans’ took the time to teach and give advice to us youngsters, as if ‘passing the torch.’" He also got help and advice from others including Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown and Albert Collins. Diddley especially became a friend and mentor to Loomis, later making guest appearances on a couple of Loomis' albums (Hamilton and Ain't Just Temporary), and giving Loomis a red guitar that he still plays.

In 1994, Ham-Bone Records issued Loomis' debut album, Hamilton, which received a nomination for a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album in 1995. In 1996, Just Gimme One Night was released. In 2000, Loomis released All Fired Up, and acted in the role of Trevor in the VH1 movie At Any Cost. Three years later, Loomis signed a recording contract with Blind Pig Records, who issued, Kickin' It. Ain't Just Temporary (2007), another Blind Pig release, peaked at number 7 in the Billboard Top Blues Albums Chart in September 2007. In 2006, Loomis appeared as a guest on Jimmy Needham's album, Speak, playing guitar, bass and harmonica.

He later returned to Ham-Bone Records as he felt that Blind Pig, as a blues only outlet, was restricting his output purely along those lines. Give It Back (2013) featured Victor Wooten (Béla Fleck and the Flecktones) on bass and vocals. In the liner notes to the album, Loomis commented upon hoping to share his knowledge with younger musicians. The title track was a musical tribute to his own mentors, and Loomis stated, "Now that they have passed, it's my duty, not just an obligation, to do the same with this generation's young musicians. That's giving it back, handing it down, passing it on, like the song says.”

In 2009, the Hamilton Loomis Band performed at the Darvel Music Festival.

The Hamilton Loomis Band played at the 100 Club in London in June 2015, at the conclusion of their UK tour. Loomis and his band have an extensive touring schedule in the United States, throughout the first eight months of 2016.