Ron Hamilton

In honor and memory of Ron ("Patch the Pirate") Hamilton (1950-2023), the American Christian musician, lyricist, composer, and president and owner of Majesty Music, who passed away last week on April 19, the posts this week will be about him.

After finishing high school, in 1969 Ron went on to Bob Jones University (BJU) in Greenville, SC, where he received a BA in Church Music in 1973, followed by an MA in Church Music Composition. While at BJU Ron met Shelly Garlock at vesper choir, directed by her father, Dr. Frank Garlock; it was "love at first sight" and six years later, on May 31, 1975, they were married. They have five children: Jonathan, Tara, Alyssa, Megan, and Jason. Immediately, they began working at Majesty Music, a Christian music publishing house founded by Dr. Garlock. (Sources: Patch the Pirate Facebook page, Wikipedia)

One of Ron Hamilton's songs that depicts well his life is "Faithful Men":

I am looking to Jesus, giving all in the race,
Pressing upward to gain the heavenly prize.
Faithful men are my witness, who have struggled and died;
And they watch from the grandstand in the skies.

(Refrain)
Faithful men have gone before us,
Faithful men who fight and stand;
I want to follow in their footsteps,
Guided by those faithful men.

Jacob joined with the faithful;
Joseph followed behind;
Moses ran with the mighty men of old.
There were David and Daniel; then came Peter and Paul.
Now they chant as they run on streets of gold.

Refrain

(Majesty Hymns, p. 380)

--from an obituary on the Facebook group "Hymns and Hymnwriters"