Reverend Doctor Alexander Hamilton

Rev. Doctor Alexander Hamilton

THE MAN

Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Author Alexander, the only son of Arthur & Beatrice J. Hamilton, was singing full recitals around Los Angeles at the age of three, and at four began his piano studies at the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music & Arts. At the age of eight he became a private student of the late great Hall Johnson (the writer & arranger of so many well-known Negro Spirituals) who taught Alexander how to write arrangements and scores for choirs and orchestras. This got Alexander accepted into a special accelerated program at University of Southern California where he completed all his college Music Theory courses by the time he graduated Virgil Junior High school. This child prodigy and his mother, Beatrice Hamilton, united with the Mount Moriah Baptist Church, Inc., of Los Angeles, in March of 1954. Mother Hamilton became the director and Alexander the musician for the Starlight Band and Youth Fellowship Choir under the leadership of Pastor Earl Amos and Mrs. Olga Mae Pleasant, Thurston G. Frazier, and Professor R. L. Hatter. Alexander matured as a consummate musician, arranger, and director. His accomplished skill and style as a pianist were inclusive of Jazz, Blues, Classical, and R&B, with Gospel being his signature trademark. Alexanders love for God poured into his musical arrangements that moved the hearts and souls of listeners. He took traditional, even mundane hymns and breathed life, passion, and energy he expressed through his musical arrangements. It was an experience to go on the journey of praise and worship for God in an Alexander Hamilton Gospel concert. His choir never knew what songs they would sing in a concert. They were just prepared for the journey. The songs performed were whatever Alexander chose to convey the message he was led by the Holy Spirit to bring that day as he ministered during his concerts often teaching and quoting scripture between song performances.

THE MUSIC

Over the years Rev. Alexander worked with and groomed several choirs of singers, bringing to them his professional expertise. Each had their own repertoire and became part of his combined choral ensemble. 

The MiracleAires, Est 1968

The Miracle-Aires were Alexanders first choir that he established in the late 1960’s with his mother Beatrice Hamilton and the treasured, beloved Kenneth C. Ulmer. Their first album release, “He Set Me Free” included a personal endorsement from Rev. James Cleveland on the cover.

Rev. Hamilton’s most celebrated accomplishment to this day was the arranging and conducting of Aretha Franklin’s Amazing Grace Grammy Award winning album in 1972, still ranked as one of the top selling Gospel albums of all time, and a part of Los Angeles’ music legacy. When Rev. James Cleveland was seeking the choir director to help produce Aretha Franklin’s first Gospel album recording, he chose Alexander Hamilton to arrange and conduct the Queen of Soul’s production. The concert was recorded at New Temple Missionary Baptist Church and filmed by rising star Director Sydney Pollack. However, it was not until 2018 that the film recording was released by producer Alan Elliott as a concert documentary film when audiences could witness Alexander Hamilton’s contributions that were not seen before in the audio release.

The church was the center of the African American community in the 1970’s, and nearly every African American household in America, and eventually Gospel lovers around the world listened to “Aretha Franklin’s Amazing Grace” as part of their music worship and enjoyment. Rev. Hamilton is listed as “starring” in the “Amazing Grace” film credits. The documentary’s illumination of Alexander Hamilton’s remarkable work, the brilliant performances by Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul and the legendary Reverend James Cleveland, the King of Gospel, captured the genius of the three in a rare and anointed moment in time for African Americans contributions to music, and Los Angeles history.

The Voices of Inspiration, Est 1973

Under his leadership, their professional credits include television appearances with The Beach Boys, Diahann Carroll, Debbie Boone, Phil Driscol, Lola Falana, Barbara Mandrell, Jerry Lewis, and a record album with the group “Chicago”. They were the featured choir in the television pilot “The Easy Street Show” and were profiled on the “On Stage America” show in 1984. The Voices met weekly for decades and performed under Alexander’s direction until his last live performance in 2019 before the pandemic.

The New Generation Singers, Est 1981

Their credits include The Barbara Mandrell T.V. Special, the soundtrack of the movie “Moscow on the Hudson” starring Robin Williams, and the “Weekend with the Stars” T.V. Special with Henry Winkler and John Ritter. Their album release is entitled: “Safe In God’s Love” and they performed in Alexander Hamilton’s combined ensemble. 

The McDonalds Gospelfest competition has presented the best choirs from around the country for 36 years. Alexander Hamilton and the Voices of Inspiration Choir won the very first McDonalds Gospelfest Choir competition held in Los Angeles, California in 1985, presenting a syncopated rendition of the Hallelujah Chorus, a performance arranged with Alexander Hamilton’s Gospel signature style, a passionate, lively, expression of love for God through music. 

Immanuel Gospel Community Choir, 1991

Early in 1991, the leaders of Immanuel Presbyterian Church of Los Angeles decided to enhance their efforts to reach out to the community by adding Gospel music to their regular services, originally under the direction of Mr. Charles May. In February 1992, Alexander accepted their call to directorship. 

In July ’92 he combined them with members of The Voices of Inspiration to appear on the CBS television series “Middle Ages”, and in August ’92 this choir recorded their first album: “Gothic Gospel”. In October 1993 they became a fully independent community choir–singing God’s praises throughout the greater Los Angeles area–and in the summer of ’94 were featured on stage with Natalie Cole at the Hollywood Bowl. The choir remains to be a part of Alexander Hamilton’s combined ensemble.

 In 2001 Alexander took on the role of accompanist for The Hollywood Mass Choir under the direction of Rev. Patrick Hare, becoming Patrick’s dear friend and musical mentor. Alexander helped Patrick take the Hollywood Mass Choir to victory in 2002 and win the McDonalds Gospelfest competition where they performed Alexanders syncopated arrangement of Swing Down Chariot.

THE MINISTRY

In 1998 Alex founded Gospel Music Tracks to help ministries around the world that do not have access to professional musicians while at the same time preserving traditional Gospel hymns and congregational singing in Black churches. Using his unique style as an accompanist, Alexander recorded over one hundred of the most popular old hymns as tracks that anyone can easily sing to. Currently, people in over thirty countries are singing hymns in more than 18 languages as Rev. Alexander plays for them!  

Reverend Alexander Hamilton blessed many ministries who exemplified Kingdom work while memorializing the African American experience through art.  Rev. Alexander served as the musical director and dear friend of playwright Donald B. Welch who produced a series of Gospel plays that encapsulate the Christian life experience, while preserving the history of greats like Mahalia Jackson, the African American church, and culture.

Rev. Alexander Hamilton became a Baptist Minister since 1977 and was a renowned Bible teacher specializing in Prophecy-related Scriptures. His books: “Passover, A Christian Perspective” and “Understanding Scriptures–A Guide to Bible Study” have received critical acclaim. Through his books and cassette tapes on the books of Joshua and Revelation he has Bible students in over ninety-two cities around the world via The Gospel Institute and the Philadelphia Church Fellowship teaching ministries.

In 2008 Rev. Hamilton was called to Pastor Community Missionary Baptist Church of Compton, CA by the church’s Founding Pastor, the late great Rev. E. Boyd Esters, Sr., as his “gifted chosen successor.”  Rev. Esters, Sr. was one of Alexanders fathers in ministry, and prior to serving as Senior Pastor, Rev. Hamilton served as Community’s Wednesday night Bible Study teacher for over twenty-five years. Pastor Esters Sr. sat in Rev. Hamilton’s Bible Study each week observing him as he taught his many loyal Bible students. Sister Pearl Samuels, one of Alexanders first Bible Study students often said that she is the woman she is today because of being a student of Pastor Alexander Hamilton. Sister Pearl, now in her ninety’s is still a loving supporter of Rev. Hamilton’s ministry.

Dr. Margaret Pleasant Douroux and the Executive Staff of The Heritage Music Foundation have archived Alexander Hamilton along with Rodena Preston-Williams, Reverend James Cleveland, Eddie Kendrix, Kenneth Glover, Sandra ‘Blinky’ Williams, Andre Crouch, et al, as contributors to the History of West Coast Gospel Music.

Reverend Doctor Alexander Hamilton, a Man of God who lived his entire life devoted to ministry service, departed from his earthen vessel that could no longer sustain him on Friday, January 28th, 2022, at 3:16pm.

There have been many greats who left this world a better place for having been here on earth. Reverend Doctor Alexander Hamilton was one of the greats on earth, who lived a life dedicated to the reflections of his undeniable love for God and sharing it with his family and friends in many ways through his music and ministry, touching lives and making it that much sweeter and aware of God’s infinite, unconditional love.

Reverend Doctor Alexander Hamilton leaves to cherish his memories; his wife of twenty years Lady Alicia Hamilton, Alexanders eldest son Samuel A. Von Lewis, Stepson Paris Finnie, Stepdaughter Milan Finnie, two First Cousins, Daisy Hay, and Valetta Harris, Cousins , Cynthia Winter, Debra Johnson, Preston, (Tina) Hay, Eric (Sheila) Coleman, Lance (Stephanie) Carter, Tracy Carter, and a host of loving Johnson, Shaw, and Winters family relatives, choir and congregation members, friends and colleagues.