Interview with Bobby Hicks, November 11, 2004

Partial Transcript: My name's Herby Smith and I'm a filmmaker from Kentucky.

Segment Synopsis: Hicks describes his childhood in North Carolina and his introduction to the local music scene. Hicks recalls forming a band with his brother and some other local boys as a child. Hicks also explains why he began playing the fiddle. Hicks discusses learning to play music and the musical accolades he won when he was a child.

Keywords: Bluegrass music; Country music; Dale Potter (Artist); Electric instruments; Fiddle contests; Fiddlers; Fiddles; Jam sessions; Mandolin players; Mandolins; Moving; Music scene; Musical instruments; Payment; Potter, Dale (Artist); Practice; Salary; Self-taught; Sutherland, Tommy (Artist); Tommy Sutherland (Artist)

Subjects: Bluegrass musicians; Brothers; Childhood; Father; Greensboro (N.C.); Income; Learning; Mother; Music--Instruction and study; Music--Performance; Musical ability; Musical ability in children.; Musical families; Musical performance; Musicians; Nashville (Tenn.); Newton (N.C.); Nineteen fifties; Reedsville (N.C.); Teachers; Teaching

Partial Transcript: Well, before you went to Nashville you--you were mainly--uh--in North Carolina.

Segment Synopsis: Hicks describes playing in his first professional band for Jim Eanes. Hicks details the radio shows the band played on in Virginia. Hicks also talks of working for Bob Williams. Hicks recalls how he met Bill Monroe through Carlton Haney. Hicks discusses briefly serving as Bill Monroe's bass player until a position on the fiddle became available.

Keywords: Bass players; Bill Monroe (Artist); Bluegrass music; Country music; Dobro players; Dobros; Fiddle players; Fiddlers; Fiddles; Gordon Terry (Artist); Haney, Carlton (Artist); Jim Eanes (Artist); Musical instruments; Radio programs; Red Taylor (Artist); Virgil William "Smokey" Graves (Artist); WBTM (Radio station); Williams, Bob (Artist)

Subjects: Burlington (N.C.); Country music.; Danville (Va.); Lynchburg (Va.); Musical ability; Musicians; Nashville (Tenn.); Radio stations

Partial Transcript: So, you went to Nashville at what, twenty-one?

Segment Synopsis: Hicks considers how his family felt about his decision to pursue a career in music and move to Nashville.

Keywords: Attitude; Bluegrass music; Country music; Family; Fiddle players; Fiddles; Live performances; Musical instruments; Talent

Subjects: Bluegrass musicians; Brothers; Childhood; Encouragement; Father; Mother; Musical ability; Musical families; Musicians; Nashville (Tenn.); Parents; Teenagers; Young

Partial Transcript: And now let's go back forward to you going to Nashville, you're twenty-one years old.

Segment Synopsis: Hicks discusses moving to Nashville and beginning to work for Bill Monroe. Hicks describes Monroe's attitude and some lessons learned from Monroe. Hicks characterizes Monroe's playing style and how the playing styles of musicians evolve over time. Hicks recalls what it was like to play on the Grand Ole Opry for the first time.

Keywords: Achievements; Arville Freeman (Artist); Attitude; Bill Monroe (Artist); Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Bluegrass music; Country music; Fiddle players; Fiddles; Generations; Instructions; Live performances; Musical instruments; Nervous; Playing styles; Regional styles; Scared; Young people

Subjects: Grand Ole Opry (Radio program); Learning; Melody; Musical ability; Musicians; Nashville (Tenn.); Teaching; Young

Partial Transcript: Could--could you--uh--just give us a sense of what the Dale Potter sound--I mean you said, you know...

Segment Synopsis: Hicks remembers what working for Dale Potter was like. Hicks also describes Potter's unique playing style. Hicks briefly assesses the tendencies of studio musicians.

Keywords: Bill Monroe (Artist); Bluegrass music; Country music; Dale Potter (Artist); Fiddle players; Fiddles; Hand size; Live performances; Musical instruments; Recording sessions; Recording studios; Style; Touring

Subjects: Bluegrass musicians; Musical ability; Musicians; Sound; Western swing (Music)

Partial Transcript: And so--um--you--between, what--uh--'54 and '56 are with Bill?

Segment Synopsis: Hicks elaborates upon his experiences of playing the Grand Ole Opry with Bill Monroe. Hicks also considers what it was like to tour with Bill Monroe. Hicks describes the intersection between bluegrass and rock music. Hicks illustrates Bill Monroe's views on Elvis Presley covering his song Blue Moon of Kentucky. Bill Monroe's personality and physical strength are detailed.

Keywords: Attitude; Banned; Bass; Bill Monroe (Artist); Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Blue Moon of Kentucky (Song); Bluegrass music; Clothing; Country music; Cover songs; Dancing; Dress; Elvis Presley (Artist); Fiddle players; Fiddles; Jim and Jesse and the Virginia Boys (Artist); Live performances; Musical instruments; Payment; Salary; Schedules; Strength; Strict; Tours; Traditional bluegrass

Subjects: Bluegrass musicians; Farmers; Grand Ole Opry (Radio program); Horses; Income; Limousines; Musical ability; Musicians; Personality; Rock music; Travel

Partial Transcript: So--uh--then--um--in '56 what happens?

Segment Synopsis: Hicks explains why he left Bill Monroe's band, mainly due to being drafted into the military. When he returned, he continued working with Monroe until 1960. Hicks explains that Monroe was no longer able to pay him as much due to the decline in popularity of bluegrass music. Hicks discusses the financial implications that Bill Monroe faced as bluegrass music became less popular and it became more difficult to pay band members. Hicks also briefly describes the unique sound of Earl Scruggs.

Keywords: Audience; Bill Monroe (Artist); Bluegrass music; Country music; Crowds; Earl Scruggs (Artist); Earl's Breakdown (Song); Fiddle players; Fiddles; Friday Night Frolic (Radio program); Mandolin players; Mandolins; Military service; Payment; Porter Wagoner (Artist); Radio programs; Rehearsals; Replacements; Salary; Style; Tours; Tuners; Tuning; U.S. Army; WSM (Radio station)

Subjects: Change; Daughters; Draft; Income; Marriage; Money; Musical ability; Musical instruments; Musicians; Nashville (Tenn.); Nineteen sixties; Popular music--Writing and publishing; Popularity; Radio stations; Sound; Stars; Unique

Partial Transcript: So--uh--let's talk about--uh--l--uh--at--you said--uh--after Porter Wagoner you--uh--decided to leave Nashville.

Segment Synopsis: Hicks explains why he left Nashville to work on a polka band in Iowa. Subsequently, Hicks moved to Montana. Hicks recalls a fight shortly before leaving Montana in which he suffered a broken wrist.

Keywords: Attitude; Bluegrass music; Bobby Hicks Band (Artist); Broken wrist; Country music; Dance bands; Fiddle players; Fiddles; Fights; Injury; Jobs; Leaving; Live performances; Musical instruments; Playing by ear; Polka music

Subjects: Billings (Mont.); Bluegrass musicians; Health; Iowa; Missoula (Mont.); Montana; Musical ability; Musicians; Nashville (Tenn.); Travel; Wrist

Partial Transcript: And I walked into the Golden Nugget looking for a job.

Segment Synopsis: Hicks describes moving to Las Vegas and playing with Judy Lynn. Hicks recalls his experiences of playing in Judy Lynn's nine-piece band at casinos in Las Vegas and Reno. Hicks discusses some of the logistics behind Judy Lynn's show. Hicks explains why he left Judy Lynn's band in 1975.

Keywords: Audience; Bluegrass music; Caesars Palace Casino (Las Vegas, Nev.); Clothes; Costume changes; Country music; Country western bands; Cover songs; Crowds; Fiddlers; Fiddles; Genres; Golden Nugget Casino (Las Vegas, Nev.); Hit songs; Illnesses; Jobs; Las Vegas (Nev.); Live performances; Lynn, Judy (Artist); Money; Musical arrangement; Musical instruments; Nine-piece bands; Payment; Performers; Schedules; Showmanship; Song requests; Top 40 country songs

Subjects: Bluegrass musicians; Casinos; Gambling; Health; Income; Las Vegas (Nev.); Money; Mother; Musical ability; Musical performance; Musicians; Nevada; Nineteen seventies; Nineteen sixties; North Carolina; Reno (Nev.); Security; Sick; Singing; Work

Partial Transcript: Okay, so then you go to Reno and then were you also playing country music pretty much at that point?

Segment Synopsis: Hicks discusses returning to North Carolina from Nevada. Hicks details the retirement benefits he receives from a musicians' union. Hicks describes his work with Ricky Skaggs. Hicks characterizes Skaggs' musical style and popularity during the 1970s. Hicks considers how Skaggs' musical style and popularity have changed over time. Hicks also lists some of the hit records he worked on with Skaggs.

Keywords: Attitude; Bluegrass festivals; Bluegrass music; Bobby Hicks & Hazel Creek (Artist); Carlton Haney (Artist); Clubs; Cold Mountain (Motion picture and soundtrack); Country music; East coast; Fiddle players; Fiddles; Fill-ins; Freelance; Hazel Creek (Artist); Hit records; Hit songs; Improvements; Influences; Jesse McReynolds (Artist); Judy Lynn (Artist); Laid back; Lake Tahoe (Calif. and Nev.); Lead lines; Live performances; Musical instruments; Number one records; Overdubbing; Payment; Practice; Record sessions; Records; Rehearsals; Retirement benefits; Return; Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder (Artist); Ricky Skaggs (Artist); Schedules; Singing; Style; Tours; Travel; Venues; West coast

Subjects: Albums; Bluegrass musicians; Change; Income; Las Vegas (Nev.); Lifestyles; Money; Mother; Musical ability; Musicians; Nashville (Tenn.); Nevada; Nineteen seventies; North Carolina; Popularity; Reno (Nev.); Singing; Sound; Travel; Unions

Partial Transcript: Well--um--so--uh--tell me--w--did you notice Ricky's style changing?

Segment Synopsis: Hicks assesses the changes that have occurred to bluegrass and country music over time. Hicks discusses the upswing in popularity of bluegrass in the 1990s in part due to a movie called O brother, where art thou. Hicks recalls attending Bill Monroe's funeral and evaluates the impact of Monroe on bluegrass. Hicks offers advice to the next generation of bluegrass musicians. Hicks reflects upon Bill Monroe's opinion of "newgrass" music.

Keywords: Attitude; Banjo players; Banjos; Bill Monroe (Artist); Bluegrass music; Bluegrass revival; Country music; Day rates; Earl Scruggs (Artist); Eddie Rose (Artist); Experimentation; Fiddlers; Fiddles; Funerals; Gary Allen (Artist); Hardcore bluegrass; Innovation; Live performances; Monroe chop; Musical instruments; Nashville (Tenn.); Newgrass; Next generation; North Carolina bluegrass; O Brother, Where Art Thou? (Album); Payment; Recording sessions; Rhythm; Ricky Skaggs (Artist); Salary; Sam Bush (Artist); Scruggs style (Banjo); Session musicians; Singing; Style

Subjects: Advice; Bluegrass musicians; Change; Children; Coffins; Death; Humor; Income; Money; Musical ability; Musicians; Nashville (Tenn.); Nineteen nineties; O brother, where art thou? (Motion picture); Personality; Popularity; Quartets; Role models; Ryman Auditorium (Nashville, Tenn.); Singing; Sound; Tone

Partial Transcript: But I want to go back--um--let's talk a little bit about--um--oh--was there any--do you want to tell a story at all about leaving Ricky or what happened in there?

Segment Synopsis: Hicks discusses his friendship with Ricky Skaggs. Hicks chronicles the fluctuations in the popularity of bluegrass throughout his career.

Keywords: Bluegrass music; Country music; Fiddle players; Fiddles; Leaving; Live performances; Musical instruments; Ralph Stanley (Artist); Relationships; Ricky Skaggs (Artist); Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder (Artist)

Subjects: Bluegrass musicians; Career; Change; Musical ability; Musicians; Popularity

Partial Transcript: [Music]

Segment Synopsis: Hicks demonstrates several different playing styles on the fiddle. Hicks also explains the various uses for the each technique.

Keywords: Audience; Bill Monroe (Artist); Bluegrass music; Bobby Hicks & Hazel Creek (Artist); Country music; Fiddle bows; Fiddle players; Fiddles; Flatt and Scruggs (Artist); Hazel Creek (Artist); Hoedowns; Live performances; Monroe chop; Musical instruments; Musical styles; On stage; Paul Warren (Artist); Playing styles; Rhythm; Style

Subjects: Bluegrass musicians; Musical ability; Musical instruments.; Musicians; Sound; Square dancing; Technique

Partial Transcript: And--uh--and I--I think if I said anything about--uh--Bill, it seemed like he was--he--he had a lot of blues influence.

Segment Synopsis: Hicks considers some of the genres that may have influenced Bill Monroe, including jazz, blues, and western music. Hicks describes the influence of Bill Monroe and bluegrass on rock music, especially Elvis Presley. Hicks details what the songwriting process is like in bluegrass and country music.

Keywords: Bill Haley & His Comets (Artist); Bill Monroe (Artist); Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Blue Moon of Kentucky (Song); Bluegrass music; Country music; Elvis Presley (Artist); Fiddle players; Fiddles; Influences; Jimmie Rodgers (Artist); Live performances; Mule Skinner Blues (Song); Musical genres; Musical instruments; Musical styles; Playing styles; Rocky Road Blues (Song); Songwriters; Songwriting; Style; Western music

Subjects: Bluegrass musicians; Blues (Music); Jazz; Musical ability; Musicians; Popular music--Writing and publishing; Rock music; Sound; Yodeling

Partial Transcript: Well, as you play "Mule Skinner Blues" there--um--was that the way you played it with Bill?

Segment Synopsis: Hicks demonstrates some additional playing techniques on the fiddle.

Keywords: Bluegrass music; Bow arms; Country music; Fiddle bows; Fiddle players; Fiddles; Learning to play; Left hand; Live performances; Musical instruments; Slides

Subjects: Bluegrass musicians; Melody; Music theory; Music--Instruction and study; Musical ability; Musicians; Singing; Teaching; Technique

Partial Transcript: That's Golden Boy.--[Smith laughs]--That's his name.

Segment Synopsis: Hicks explains why he prefers playing a five-string fiddle. Hicks describes the process behind special-ordering his current fiddle, which he has nicknamed "Golden Boy." Hicks details the religious imagery and associations contained within fiddle music.

Keywords: "Devil's box"; "Golden Boy" (Fiddle Name); Bluegrass music; Country music; Electric instruments; Electric mandolins; Fiddle makers; Fiddle players; Fiddle strings; Fiddles; Fifth string; Five-string fiddles; Harmony singing; Jesus; Johnny Gimble (Artist); Judy Lynn (Artist); Keck, Harvey (Fiddle maker); Musical instruments; Osborne Brothers (Artist); Quality; Ralph Stanley (Artist); Trends

Subjects: Bluegrass musicians; Christianity; Christians; God; Musical ability; Musical instrument makers; Musical inventions and patents; Musical performance; Musicians; Religion; Sound; Tone

Partial Transcript: How would you look back on that fifty-plus years that you've been a musician and--?

Segment Synopsis: Hicks discusses his music career, appreciating the opportunity to be a professional musician. Hicks also talks of his current band, Hazel Creek.

Keywords: Bass; Bass singers; Bass singing; Bluegrass Album Band (Artist); Bluegrass music; Bobby Hicks & Hazel Creek (Artist); Cotton mills; Country music; Curly Ray Cline (Artist); Fiddle players; Fiddles; Hazel Creek (Artist); Jobs; Live performances; Musical instruments

Subjects: Bluegrass musicians; Career; Musical ability; Musicians; Work

Partial Transcript: Well, tell me about some of the awards, what's it like to get Grammys and gold records and--?

Segment Synopsis: Hicks displays some of the awards he has won throughout his career, including several Grammys.

Keywords: Audio recording; Bluegrass music; Country music; Fiddle players; Fiddles; Live performances; Musical instruments; Ralph Stanley (Artist); Records; Todd Phillips (Artist); True Life Blues (Song); World Fiddlers' Hall of Fame

Subjects: Albums; Bluegrass musicians; Grammy Awards; Music--Awards; Musical ability; Musicians; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: Well will you be--uh--touring quite a bit in the next--uh--.

Segment Synopsis: Hicks briefly discusses his future plans for his current band, Hazel Creek, including an upcoming tour.

Keywords: Bluegrass festivals; Bluegrass music; Bobby Hicks & Hazel Creek (Artist); Country music; Current band; Favorite songs; Fiddle players; Fiddles; Hazel Creek (Artist); Live music; Musical instruments; Tours

Subjects: Bluegrass musicians; Musical ability; Musicians; Travel