Singer-Songwriter Dan Hicks Dies at 74
Singer-songwriter Dan Hicks, known for his rootsy blend of folk, jazz and country music, died Feb. 6 in Mill Valley, Calif., after a two-year battle with throat and liver cancer. He was 74.
News of Hicks’ death was confirmed on his official website, Welcome to Hicksville.
Hicks was known as the leader of the acoustic band Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks, which was a contemporary of the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane in the late 1960s San Francisco psychedelic scene. He never achieved as much mainstream success as others from that era but he was highly regarded by fellow musicians.
At his commercial peak, Hicks recorded several successful albums for Blue Thumb Records, including “Where’s The Money?,” “Striking It Rich” and “Last Train To Hicksville.” But the Hot Licks disbanded in 1973. Hicks then worked in a range of arenas after that, from movie soundtracks to other ensembles including the Acoustic Warriors.
Born Dec. 9, 19419 in Little Rock, Ark., to a military family, Hicks moved with his family to the northern California city of Santa Rosa at the age of five. He began his musical expression as a drummer before learning to sing and play guitar. He will be remembered for such songs as “I Scare Myself,” “Canned Music” and “How Can I Miss You When You Won’t Go Away?”
He’s survived by his wife, who made the announcement.
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