Stan Hamilton
We have very little information on Stan Hamilton. There is reference to him in the Bobby Brown (Canada) articles and we have the following from Derek Hamilton of Galston.
Stan was originally from Ayrshire, emigrated to Canada in 1957.
Formed his band over there originally named 'The Clansmen' but his recording company RCA decided that in America that was too much of a reference to the Klu Klux Klan and could be confused as connections to it (the Yanks are something else if not paranoid eh??). So undaunted Stan, having arranged the Flying Scotsman (and he did the original version) renamed the band 'The Flying Scotsmen' to appease RCA.
He was a cousin of John McCroskie (erstwhile drummer with Kenny Thomson and Charlie Kirkpatrick). John is still living in Alloway but is not in good health having suffered a massive stroke about 2 years ago (he's now in his 80s)
Stan's mother was 'Mary Hamilton of Auchincruive' after whom the tune was named. The tune was composed by Stan's father who played fiddle with Stan & Bobby Frew before Stan & Bobby Frew emigrated together in 1957. They had failed an audition for the BBC - the band comprised Stan, Piano: Bobby Frew, Accordion: Stan's Father, Fiddle: John McCroskie, Drums and a bass player who I don't know (might have been Archie Oliphant).
The irony of that was that when Stan & Bobby Frew formed the band in Canada they literally took the place by storm getting a recording contract with RCA very shortly after.
Bobby Brown joined the Stan Hamilton Band in 1961 as 2nd box and left to form his own band in 1974 when offered a lot of Summer work with the band that Stan & Bobby Frew didn't want to take. They only wanted to work in the winter.
Incidentally Ronnie Easton is connected to Stan through the McCroskie connection (Ronnie's mother was a McCroskie).
I met Stan two or three times (no relation by the way) although he did say 'Hiya Cousin' when we met!!!
Derek Hamilton
14th January 2013
Stan was originally from Ayrshire, emigrated to Canada in 1957.
Formed his band over there originally named 'The Clansmen' but his recording company RCA decided that in America that was too much of a reference to the Klu Klux Klan and could be confused as connections to it (the Yanks are something else if not paranoid eh??). So undaunted Stan, having arranged the Flying Scotsman (and he did the original version) renamed the band 'The Flying Scotsmen' to appease RCA.
He was a cousin of John McCroskie (erstwhile drummer with Kenny Thomson and Charlie Kirkpatrick). John is still living in Alloway but is not in good health having suffered a massive stroke about 2 years ago (he's now in his 80s)
Stan's mother was 'Mary Hamilton of Auchincruive' after whom the tune was named. The tune was composed by Stan's father who played fiddle with Stan & Bobby Frew before Stan & Bobby Frew emigrated together in 1957. They had failed an audition for the BBC - the band comprised Stan, Piano: Bobby Frew, Accordion: Stan's Father, Fiddle: John McCroskie, Drums and a bass player who I don't know (might have been Archie Oliphant).
The irony of that was that when Stan & Bobby Frew formed the band in Canada they literally took the place by storm getting a recording contract with RCA very shortly after.
Bobby Brown joined the Stan Hamilton Band in 1961 as 2nd box and left to form his own band in 1974 when offered a lot of Summer work with the band that Stan & Bobby Frew didn't want to take. They only wanted to work in the winter.
Incidentally Ronnie Easton is connected to Stan through the McCroskie connection (Ronnie's mother was a McCroskie).
I met Stan two or three times (no relation by the way) although he did say 'Hiya Cousin' when we met!!!
Derek Hamilton
14th January 2013