Remembering Bobby Hicks

Robert Caldwell “Bobby” Hicks (July 21, 1933 - August 16, 2024) was at the forefront of bluegrass fiddling for nearly 70 years. He logged time with many of the top names in bluegrass and country music including Jim Eanes, Bill Monroe, Porter Wagoner, Las Vegas entertainer Judy Lynn, and Ricky Skaggs. While many admired him for his expert musicianship, a host of fellow musicians and fans alike cherished him for his pleasant demeanor and warm friendship. Hailing from Newton, North Carolina, an outlier of Hickory, Hicks got his first tastes of live music from his clawhammer banjo picking mother and two brothers who played banjo and guitar. Bobby started out on mandolin and guitar before he was even big enough to hold an instrument. Around 1945, the Hicks family moved to Greensboro, North Carolina. The area sported programs by acts such as Charlie Monroe and local favorites like Jim Hall. It was Hall’s fiddle player, Smokey Graves, who inspired Hicks to take up the fiddle. It w