Tony Hicks facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tony Hicks
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Hicks in 1968
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Anthony Christopher Hicks |
| Born | 16 December 1945 |
| Origin | Nelson, Lancashire, England |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | |
| Years active | 1957–present |
Anthony Christopher Hicks, born on December 16, 1945, is a talented English guitarist and singer. He has been a key member of the British rock and pop band The Hollies since 1963. Because of his important role, he was welcomed into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010. In the band, he is mainly the lead guitarist and sings backing vocals.
Contents
Tony Hicks's Music Career
Early Musical Beginnings
Tony Hicks first experienced fame when he was just 12 years old. He was part of a group called Les Skifflettes. In 1957, they appeared on the Carroll Levis talent show. By the early 1960s, Tony was a respected musician in the Manchester music scene. He became the lead guitarist for a band called Ricky Shaw and the Dolphins. At the same time, he was also learning to be an electrician.
In February 1963, a local rival band, The Hollies, needed a new guitarist. Their guitarist, Vic Steele, had left. The Hollies immediately asked Tony Hicks to join them. At first, he wasn't sure, but he was convinced after listening to The Hollies play. He listened through an air vent at the Twisted Wheel club in Manchester! Tony was smart and asked for £18 a week to join. This was twice as much as the other band members were earning.
The Hollies soon got a chance to record with EMI's Parlophone label. Their producer, Ron Richards, helped them choose their biggest hits. Tony Hicks joined them for this recording session in April 1963. This audition led to a recording contract with Parlophone.
Success with The Hollies
The Hollies quickly became one of the most successful bands in Britain. They had a unique, cheerful pop sound. This sound was built around the three-part harmony of Tony Hicks (who sang the lower parts), Allan Clarke (who sang lead vocals), and Graham Nash (who sang the high parts).
Tony wrote his first song for the group, "When I'm Not There," in 1964. He also co-wrote a song called "Keep Off That Friend of Mine" with drummer Bobby Elliott that same year. Tony then joined Allan Clarke and Graham Nash to form the band's main songwriting team. From 1964 to mid-1966, they used the names "Chester Mann" and "L. Ransford." Later, they started using their own names: Clarke-Hicks-Nash. By the mid-1960s, these three wrote most of The Hollies' songs. These included hit singles like "Stop! Stop! Stop!", "On a Carousel", "Carrie Anne", and "King Midas in Reverse".
Tony Hicks rarely sang the main vocals on Hollies songs. However, he was featured on "Look Through Any Window" (1965). He also sang parts of verses on "Too Much Monkey Business" (1964), "Carrie Anne" (a song he started in Norway in 1967), and "Open Up Your Eyes" (1968). Tony sang the main vocals on his own song "Pegasus" (1967). He also sang lead on "Look at Life" (1969), his song "Born A Man" (1973), "Hillsborough" (1989), and Bobby Elliott's "Then, Now, Always (Dolphin Days)" (2009).
In 1966, Tony Hicks played guitar on The Everly Brothers' album Two Yanks in England. He worked alongside Yardbirds guitarist Jimmy Page. This album included cover versions of several Hollies songs that Tony had helped write.
In the 1960s, Tony Hicks was a very important part of The Hollies' sound. Graham Nash did not play much guitar, mostly just rhythm or acoustic parts. Tony played unique lead guitar parts. He also added unusual instruments to their songs. For example, he used a banjo for their hit "Stop! Stop! Stop!". He also used a Greek-style instrument for "Tell Me to My Face," an electric sitar for "The Baby," and a fuzz guitar for "Have You Ever Loved Somebody." When the band didn't have new songs, Tony found demos of future Hollies hits. These included "Just One Look" (UK No. 2 in 1964), "I Can't Let Go" (UK No. 2 in 1966), and "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" (UK No. 3 in 1969). The last one became one of their biggest hits.
In late 1968, Tony suggested that the band record an album of Bob Dylan songs. Graham Nash disagreed with this idea. This was one reason why Nash left the band. He had already started singing with David Crosby and Stephen Stills in the US. The Hollies replaced Nash with Terry Sylvester. Their album Hollies Sing Dylan (1969) reached No. 3 in the UK Albums Chart. This was one of the first "tribute albums" by a vocal group dedicated to a single artist.
After Nash left in December 1968, Tony Hicks started writing more songs by himself. These songs were used as B-sides or album tracks. Examples include "Cos You Like To Love Me" and "Don't Give Up Easily" in 1969, and "Dandelion Wine" in 1970. He wrote many songs for The Hollies' 1970 album Confessions of the Mind. This included "Too Young To Be Married," which was a No. 1 hit in Australia and New Zealand.
Tony also co-wrote songs for The Hollies with UK singer Kenny Lynch. These songs include "What A Life I've Led," "Look What We've Got," "Promised Land," and the US hit single "Long Dark Road" (all from 1971). They also wrote "Blue in the Morning" (1972). Another song, "Faded Images," was recorded by Cilla Black on her 1971 album Images. From 1974 to 1978, Tony co-wrote Hollies songs with Allan Clarke and Terry Sylvester. In 1974, Tony produced an album for the group Taggett on EMI Records in the UK.
In 1990, Tony Hicks co-wrote "Naomi" for The Hollies with his son, Paul. In 1993, he added new guitar parts and harmony vocals to a different version of "Peggy Sue Got Married" by Buddy Holly. This song was credited to "Buddy Holly and The Hollies." It was the first song on the Not Fade Away tribute album to Buddy Holly.
The Hollies continued to have hit songs even after the 1970s. They had a UK chart hit with the medley "Holliedaze" in 1981. In 1983, their cover of "Stop! In the Name of Love" was a Top 30 hit in the US. In 1988, a re-release of "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" became a UK No. 1 single. In 1993, they had a hit with "The Woman I Love." The group still performs and records music today. However, Allan Clarke retired in 1999. Now, only Tony Hicks and drummer Bobby Elliott remain from the band's successful years in the 1960s.
Awards and Special Recognitions
In 2010, The Hollies were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Before this, they had already won an Ivor Novello Award in 1995 for their amazing contribution to British popular music. They were also inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2006. Tony Hicks and Bobby Elliott could not attend the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony. They were busy touring the UK with the current Hollies band.
Tony Hicks's Personal Life
In the mid-1960s, Tony Hicks dated model Jane Lumb. Since 1974, Tony Hicks has been married to Jane Dalton.
Discography
See also
In Spanish: Tony Hicks para niños
