PASSION
For The Love of Music & The Arts
Enjoy some music from the musical talent that lived and thrived over the years growing up, living or just passing through and not leaving, in Marin County, California.
Some Famous Marin Music Artists
Bill Champlin, Tamalpais High, Class of 1965, musician, Sons of Champlin, Chicago
Bonnie Raitt, singer
Booker T. Jones, musician
Carlos Santana, musician
Chris Chaney, Tamalpais High, Class of 1988, musician, Jane's Addiction, The Panic Channel
Craig Chaquico, guitarist from Jefferson Starship
David Crosby, musician
David Freiberg, musician, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship
Jack Conte, musician, Pomplamoose.
Grace Slick, musician, Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship
Huey Lewis, singer
James Hetfield, Metallica lead singer, rhythm guitar
Janis Joplin, singer; last residence in Larkspur, California
Jerry Garcia, musician, of The Grateful Dead
Jon Hendricks, jazz lyricist, singer
Maria Muldaur, singer-songwriter, "Midnight at the Oasis"
Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, musician, of The Grateful Dead
Sammy Hagar, singer
Terry Bozzio, musician
Tupac Shakur, Tamalpais High School, rapper, poet, and actor
Van Morrison, singer and songwriter
Zakir Hussain, musician, San Anselmo
See More >.
Some Famous Marin Performing Artists
David Dukes, Redwood High School, actor
Phil Frank, cartoonist
Sterling Hayden, actor
Mariel Hemingway, actress, born in Mill Valley
Maz Jobrani, comedian and actor
Walter Egel Kuhlman, abstract expressionist artist
George Lucas, film director, founder of Lucasfilm and Industrial Light & Magic. Creator of Star Wars and "Indiana Jones" franchises. Owner of "Skywalker Ranch"
Arthur Okamura, screen print artist illustrator
Robin Wright Penn, actress
Sean Penn, actor, activist
Robin Williams, comedian, actor
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See More >.
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The Cost Of Celebrating Our Artistic Roots?
Hamilton Arts Foundation is committed to renovating the Hamilton Theater to make it a live performing arts theater for and around the Hamilton community. In addition, we hope to rebuild the second building at this location and make it a Hamilton Music Museum with experiential kiosks for music learning and education, and to recognize our Marin Music roots. It is estimated that to renovate the Hamilton Theater, fix the parking lot and rebuild the Hamilton NCO Club along with some revitalization investments in the Hamilton Town Center would cost about $30 million. (FYI: Once approved by the City Council of Novato, we will be raising $30 million to complete this project – and we have a great fundraising plan. Stay Tuned!)
The Rebuild Back Story
The Hamilton Theater was turned over to the City of Novato back in the 1990's. Three separate committees have been formed and disbanded to take on the task of renovating this once vibrant building. Over 30 years, break-ins have resulted in property destruction and graffiti in the interior, as well as structural and hazardous materials concerns. This Theater is located near the Hamilton Amphitheater Park where top-flight talent at the stone amphitheater on Hamilton Parkway entertained the troops. As for the NCO Club, it was torn down due to its hazardous condition of the building in general. Only its foundation has survived. See more on the Library of Congress links for Hamilton Theater, Hamilton NCO Club and Hamilton Amphitheater.
Estimated Cost Breakdown
The Hamilton Theater will cost approximately $6 million, the parking lot with utility upgrades is estimated at $3 million, and the new building is estimated at $21 million. All of this will buiild up the Hamilton Music & Arts Town Center to the majestic place it once was, drawing famous people from around the world to visit and perform at the Hamilton Fields.
Famous Visitors
In the slides below, some of the famous people like President Gerald Ford, President Richard Nixon, Abbott and Costello (Bud Abbott and Lou Costello), Sir Anthony Eden, General Johnathon Wainwright, Lady Bird Johnson, and troop entertainers graced us with their audienceship or presentations over the years.
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