Frank Hamilton | The Film
Over 90 Years of Living History
My philosophy is that music is for everyone; it is not an elitist club. It’s something that people can do especially better together than they can separately.
—Frank Hamilton
An Abiding Influence
Frank Hamilton, the prolific folk singer, musician, teacher and co-founder of Chicago’s Old Town School of Folk Music is a legend in his own time.
A group of professional filmmakers have produced a documentary Frank Hamilton and the Folk Revival: From Woody Guthrie To ‘We Shall Overcome’ about Frank and his influence on music, culture and his times. The documentary was initially screened in Atlanta for a standing-room-only audience in January 2023 and is currently airing on PBS.
Frank is the last living copyright author of the civil rights anthem We Shall Overcome. Frank joined the ranks of Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, Guy Carawan, The Weavers and others to voice concerns and carry the message that if people can play music and sing together, then they will talk as well, and tear down any walls of indifference, both socially and politically.
Frank Hamilton may not be a household name, but his influence can be felt across a breadth of American musical culture.
Full Interviews
With Additional Footage of Conversations With Bert Elliott
Includes Archival clips from Ella Jenkins and Pete Seeger
Special Announcements
We are proud to announce the induction of Frank Hamilton into the Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame inaugural class. The Induction Ceremony Weekend took place at The Boch Center in Boston from April 19-20, 2024.
The documentary streams on PBS.org.
Check your local listings for TV broadcast dates and times.
CONGRATULATIONS TO FARHOF FOR THE NOMINATION OF THE DOCUMENTARY FOR A DAYTIME Emmy AWARD IN THE ARTS AND POPULAR CULTURE CATEGORY!
More scenes from the Ceremonies
Frank Hamilton and the Folk Revival was nominated for a Southeast EMMY® Award!
Category 501: Documentary—Historical
We gathered for a celebratory evening on June 15, 2024.
Special thanks to Bob Judson for his efforts in support of regional and national distribution.
Meet The Filmmakers
Chris Moser, Producer/Writer
Chris is an accomplished public television producer/writer/director, a former news writer for CNN-USA, and Assistant Professor Emeritus of Communications at Georgia Perimeter College. Chris is a 1994 recipient of the Governor’s Award in the Humanities for his career achievements using media in service to that field. His Georgia Public Television documentary THE DAY ATLANTA STOOD STILL won a 2002 Green Eyeshade Award and was widely seen throughout the United States via distribution by PBS-Plus. A long-time performer and non-profit promoter of folk music, he has been president of Atlanta Area Friends of Folk Music for more than 30 years.
Robert Judson, Director/Editor
During the course of his career, Bob has produced over 500 programs for various television and digital distribution platforms, directing many of them. During his tenure as Managing Director of GSUTV, that department won honors including five Southeast Emmy Awards, 18 International Telly Awards, and two first-place awards in the Cobb International Film Festival. At Crawford Communications (1984-2000) Bob helped produce the Peabody Award-winning MAKING OF A LEGEND for TNT, the Emmy-winning 10-part series LOST CIVILIZATIONS for NBC and Time/Life Television, six seasons of INVENTION for the Discovery Channel, and ROME – THE POWER AND THE GLORY for The Learning Channel. He co-created and executive produced THE TREASURE SEEKERS for National Geographic. He helped produce three seasons of IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT for MGM Television and 10 seasons of live production of NFL football for Channel 4-London.
RoBert Garrison Elliott, Sound Designer/Editor
Bert Elliott brings to the project his many years in film and video production and musical experience from the stage to the studio with the ability to bring together musicians and ideas. Some of his most inspiring work includes three Grammy-nominated album projects with legendary jazz guitarist Earl Klugh. Corporate clients have included Delta Air Lines, US Airways, America West Airlines, IBM, Georgia Lottery, River Blue Media, Image Quest Films, Shadow Productions, Malachi House, Turner Broadcasting, US Air, McGraw-Hill Publishing, and ABC, CBS, and NBC Sports.
Watch The Post-Screening Panel
Watch The Documentary Trailer
Procuced in association with
Virgina Organizing
&
Woodsongs Front Porch Association
Executive Producers
Elly and Bill Tucker
This project is supported by Georgia Humanities, in partnership with the Georgia Department of Economic Development, through funding from the Georgia General Assembly. To learn more about Georgia Humanities and its initiatives, please visit georgiahumanities.org
Frank is one of the most creative musicians in the country.
—Pete Seeger
I LOVE Frank Hamilton….[Frank] was really kind of the ‘Zelig’ of the Folk Music Revival. He was everywhere in an almost unperceived way.
—John McCutcheon
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