Country music star George Hamilton IV has died after a heart attack at the age of 77.

The American singer and guitarist was a regular visitor to Scotland, the land of his ancestors, which he called his "other country".

He grew up in the town of Winston-Salem in North Carolina, and his family's Scottish heritage reportedly went back to the 17th century when Hamilton's ancestor Gavin Hamilton left Scotland for America.

The Nashville star first hit was A Rose and A Baby Ruth and he toured with Buddy Holly, Gene Vincent and the Everly Brothers.

He was also involved with the Hamilton clan society in America and during his trips to Scotland he would visit prisons as part of his Christian work. In 1992, he performed at Inverness Prison and sang to an audience of prisoners in the Barlinnie chapel.

In 2004, Hamilton released an album of Scottish songs, Hamilton's Other Country, which included well-known traditional anthems such as Flower of Scotland as well as more unusual songs.

He is survived by his wife Tinky, two sons George V and Peyton and daughter Mary as well as his grandchildren.

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