[3] In 1949 he wrote an early live television musical for KTTV in Los Angeles, California.
[5] In 1953, when under contract to Jack Webb,[7] he contributed three songs to the film Pete Kelly's Blues, including "Sing A Rainbow" and "He Needs Me", sung by Peggy Lee.
The song's first release and most famous recording was by actress and singer Julie London – who had been Jack Webb's wife[8] – in 1955.
[10] His compositions have been recorded by Dinah Washington, Archie Shepp, Harry Connick Jr., Barbra Streisand, Johnny Mathis, Ray Charles, Diana Krall, The Dells (whose version of "Sing a Rainbow" was an international hit in 1969), and others.
[6] On many occasions, Hamilton worked exclusively as a lyricist; his long list of collaborators includes such composers as Walter Jurmann,[11] Armando Manzanero,[12] Jerry Fielding,[13] Johnny Mandel,[14] Michel Legrand,[15] David Raksin,[16] Robert Ragland,[17] Riz Ortolani,[18] Terry Trotter,[19] Lori Barth,[20] Barry Mann,[21] Dave Grusin,[22][23] Walter Scharf,[24] Joe Harnell,[25] Leroy Holmes,[26] Harriet Schock,[27] Ron Anthony,[28] and Patrick Williams.