News | Frank Hamilton School

Are you listening?

If you’re curious — curious about what your ear can do, curious about what makes this song attractive to you, curious about how it’s put together and how different performers have made it their own — you can’t beat learning by ear.

Shaq tries yodeling with Frank Hamilton

Shaquille O’ Neal gets a yodeling lesson with Frank Hamilton! Watch the video….

Happy New Year from the Director

It’s that time of year – do you have your list of accomplishments for next year? May I offer a piece of advice about making New Year’s resolutions – DON’T!

60 Years In, Old Town School Returns to its Oak Park Roots

For the last 60 years, the Old Town School of Folk Music has become as much a Chicago institution as Wrigley Field and Second City. But it is a little-known fact that the school, which has taught thousands of students the fine art of guitar, banjo, mandolin and a myriad of other instruments, found its beginnings in a living room in Oak Park.

Flashback: When folk music was a real ‘hoot’: How the Old Town School began

Chicago Tribune article: “Flashback: When folk music was a real ‘hoot’: How the Old Town School began.”

Summertime Playing

We love summer at the Frank Hamilton School! There are so many opportunities to play outdoors in different parts of the city, taking our “Second Half” on the road and getting people all over to sing along. Recently a group of us played during the High Museum’s...

Mixing It Up

Our mission at FHS includes fostering a vibrant community, so we welcome people of all ages, races, religions and political creeds. But there’s also another kind of variety we nurture that supports the musical part of our mission. When I was a kid there was a...

Happy New Year!

As you can see from our Class registration page, we have lots of exciting new things planned for 2017. Our Playing in a Group class with John Harvey was so successful that we've added a Songwriting class for players of all instruments who are ready to go beyond basic...

Atlanta Area Friend of Folk Music Announces Scholarship Fund

The Frank Hamilton School opened its doors in October, 2015, with the support of the Atlanta Area Friends of Folk Music. Having received our 501(c)(3) status from the IRS, we now operate as an independent non-profit organization. But AAFFM President Chris Moser...

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