Hamilton Bohannon facts for kids

Hamilton Frederick Bohannon (born March 7, 1942 – died April 24, 2020), known to many as simply Bohannon, was an American musician, songwriter, and producer. He was a very important person in disco music during the 1970s. He played drums and percussion, led bands, wrote songs, and helped create many recordings.

Early Life and Music Career

Hamilton Bohannon was born in Newnan, Georgia. He learned to play the drums while he was in school. He started playing in local bands. One of these bands even included the famous guitarist Jimi Hendrix!

After college, where he studied music, Bohannon became a schoolteacher for a short time. But his love for music soon led him back to performing. In 1964, when he was 22, he joined 13-year-old Stevie Wonder's touring band as a drummer.

Working with Motown

In 1967, Bohannon moved to Detroit. There, he got a job with Motown, a very famous record company. He became the leader and arranger for "Bohannon & The Motown Sound." This group played music for many of Motown's biggest stars when they went on tour. Imagine playing for Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, the Temptations, Diana Ross and the Supremes, and the Four Tops!

When Motown decided to move its main office to Los Angeles, Bohannon chose to stay in Detroit. He then started his own music group.

Becoming a Disco Star

In 1972, Bohannon signed with the Dakar record label. He released his first album, Stop & Go, in 1973. Over the next two years, he released five more albums. He became known for his unique sound: heavy, strong bass beats and exciting rhythms.

His Hit Songs

Even though many of his songs were popular in clubs, his first big hit on the official music charts was "South African Man" in 1974. It did very well in the UK, reaching number 22 on the UK Singles Chart.

In 1975, he had two more big hits:

• "Foot Stompin Music" was his only song to reach the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
• "Disco Stomp" was his biggest hit in the UK, reaching number 6!

In 1976, Bohannon joined Mercury Records. Two years later, he had one of his most successful songs, "Let’s Start the Dance." This song was a top 10 hit on the R&B chart and a top 10 hit on the disco chart. The song featured singer Caroline Crawford, and Bohannon later produced her albums. A new version of "Let's Start the Dance" became popular again on the dance charts in 1981.

Later Career and Legacy

In 1980, Bohannon started his own record company called Phase II Records. He continued to have smaller hits on the R&B charts for the next few years. He released his last album, It's Time to Jam, in 1990.

Many of Bohannon's songs have been used by other artists through sampling. This means other musicians take a small part of his music and use it in their own songs. For example, Paul Johnson's 1999 hit "Get Get Down" used a lot of Bohannon's "Me and the Gang." Other famous artists like Jay-Z, Digable Planets, and Snoop Dogg have also used parts of his music. His name was even mentioned many times in the Tom Tom Club song "Genius of Love."

In his later years, Bohannon continued to work in music. He produced songs for a new singer named Governor. He also worked on music with his son, Hamilton Bohannon II. He even wrote an audiobook about his early life in music called Bohannon Speaks from the Beginning.

In 2017, the city of Newnan, Georgia, honored him by renaming Peachtree Street to Bohannon Drive.

Hamilton Bohannon passed away on April 24, 2020, at his home in Atlanta. He was 78 years old.

Some of His Music

Hamilton Bohannon released many albums and singles throughout his career. Here are a few of his well-known albums and songs:

Studio Albums

• Stop & Go (1973)
• Keep On Dancin' (1974)
• Insides Out (1975)
• Bohannon (1975)
• Summertime Groove (1978)
• Cut Loose (1979)

Singles

• "South African Man" (1974)
• "Foot Stompin Music" (1975)
• "Disco Stomp" (1975)
• "Let's Start the Dance" (1978)
• "Me and the Gang" (1979)
• "Let's Start II Dance Again" (1981)