The Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Santa Monica and L.A. Gospel Jubilee willl present the Rev. Alexander Hamilton and the Voices Of Inspiration with the Immanuel Gospel Community Choir at this month’s L.A. Gospel Jubilee on Sunday, November 20, at 5 p.m. at the Mount Olive Lutheran Church, 1343 Ocean Park Boulevard..
This is the third event of the Inspirational Community Event series.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Hamilton was singing full recitals in churches at the age of three, and at four began his piano studies in the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music and Arts. A paid professional musician at the age of 9, he has played, conducted and/or arranged for Lola Falana, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Bill Cosby, The Friends Of Distinction, Leslie Uggams, Lou Rawls, Esther Rolle, The Staple Singers, Solomon Burke, Joel Grey, Sammy Davis Jr., Ben Vereen, Liza Minelli, Mabel King, Natalie Cole, Etta James, James Cleveland, Cassietta George, Bessie Griffin, Shirley Caesar, Mahalia Jackson, and others.
He arranged and conducted Aretha Franklin’s Grammy-Award winning “Amazing Grace” Gospel album, co-wrote the million-seller Gospel hit “He’s A Miracle Worker” with Eddie Kendrix, and has appeared on many recordings and television shows, and in concerts across America.
Since March of 1973, Hamilton has served as director of The Voices Of Inspiration, a Christian community choir based in Compton. Under his leadership, the choir has made television appearances with The Beach Boys, Diahann Carroll, Debbie Boone, Phil Driscol, Lola Falana, Barbara Mandrell, Jerry Lewis, and made a record album with the group Chicago. It was the featured choir in the television pilot, “The Easy Street Show,” was profiled on the “On Stage America” show, and has appeared several times on “The Soul Train Christmas Special.”
In June of 1985, it competed with over 75 choirs from the Southern California area and became the first Grand Prize winners in the, “McDonald’s Gospelfest” competition, which is now in its twentieth year.
The Voices currently has three albums in release: “Glory, Hallelujah!”, “God Can”, and a Christmas album: “Praise Him Till”.
Early in 1991, the leaders of Immanuel Presbyterian Church of Los Angeles decided to enhance its efforts to reach out to the community by adding Gospel music to its regular services, and, in February, 1992, Hamilton accepted their call to take the directorship. In July of that year, he augmented the grouo with members of The Voices Of Inspiration for an appearance on the CBS television series “Middle Ages”, and in August this choir recorded its first album: “Gothic Gospel”. In October, 1993, it became a fully independent community choir, which performed the following summer with Natalie Cole at the Hollywood Bowl.Today, the choirs perform together at special Events, church Services, on television shows and in concerts throughout California. Their newest recording of traditional Negro Spirituals arranged by Hamilton is scheduled for release during Black History month, 2006, and will be featured at Sunday’s Gospel Jubilee.
