Jo Hamilton (musician)

Jo Hamilton
Jo Hamilton performing at Union Chapel, Islington
Background information
Birth name	Joanna Susan Hamilton
Genres	Pop, pop rock, indie, electropop, alternative rock, jazz, folk
Occupation(s)	Musician, composer
Years active	1999–present
Labels	Poseidon
Website	www.johamilton.com

Jo Hamilton is a British vocalist, composer and multi-instrumentalist based in Birmingham, England. Her official debut album Gown was released in September 2009 by independent production company and label Poseidon to 4 star reviews in the UK from Mojo magazine,The Independent, and The Independent on Sunday. In December 2009, she released an EP of Christmas songs which BBC Radio 2's Janice Long put on her Album of the Week list for the week of 14 December.Nic Harcourt at KCRW Radio in Los Angeles chose Gown as one of his four picks for KCRW's 2010 Winter subscription drive. In 2010 Hamilton became the first musician in the world to work with an Airpiano.

Hamilton is the daughter of a Jamaican mother and Kenyan father, although both families trace their roots back to Scotland. The first decade of her life was spent in the Scottish Highlands, Between stints abroad, Hamilton attended Gordonstoun School, near Elgin in Morayshire, Scotland, to which she was awarded a music scholarship aged 12. She went on to study viola at Napier University in Edinburgh, and then won another scholarship to read viola performance at the Birmingham Conservatoire, in the city where she is based.

Hamilton has supported Damien Rice, Michelle Shocked, and Colin Vearncombe (Black). She also contributed viola to Kirsty McGee's first album, and was invited by Fairport Convention founder (and discoverer of Nick Drake) Ashley Hutchings to sing lead vocals and play guitar and viola with first the Albion Band and then his new bands the Rainbow Chasers and The Lark Rise Band on several European tours.