Dan Hicks, R.I.P.

[bluenoter]

http://ww2.kqed.org/arts/2016/02/06/dan-hicks-san-francisco-folk-jazz-pioneer-dead-at-74/

 

And so a third S.F.-based musician has passed away this week at age 74.   Edit: Or one could say "California-based" and add Maurice White.

R.I.P.

Edited February 7, 2016 by bluenoter

[GA Russell]

Damn.  He was a favorite of mine.

I saw the group at The Cellar Door in early '72, I think.  The only copy of Rolling Stone I ever purchased was the one with him on the cover.

RIP.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 7, 2016 by GA Russell

[mjzee]

Very sad; a true original.  I remember when he and the Hot Licks played a free concert at J&R sometime in the '90's.  He kept mumbling these bizarre asides between each number. Towards the end of the set he said to the audience, "I suppose you're wondering why I'm talking like this.  When we got here, I saw that the ad said 'Come and meet Dan Hicks!'  So I'm hoping that this will dissuade you from wanting to meet Dan Hicks."  RIP.

 

 

[JSngry]

Yeah, one of those guys you (ok, I) couldn't help but being reflexively entertained by, were they serious or just hyper-deadpan. Both. And hey, Sid Page. A BAD man! Wish I could find the Don Kirshner clip of "I Scare Myself"...whew.

If I had a dollar for every time I've told somebody "how can I miss you when you won't go away?", I'd not be rich, but I would be better off financially.

RIP, and thanks for never not knowing.

 

or if you prefer.

 

 

[paul secor]

He was a long time favorite of mine. I met him at a show he did with just a second guitarist in the late 90's. I had a chance to speak with him briefly after the show and he was very cordial and even signed a few albums. He was known for making witty/sarcastic remarks between songs. I still recall seeing him on the Tonight show in the early 1970's. Debbie Reynolds had performed earlier, and when the Hot Licks came on, he opened with a sarcastic, "Gee, that was swell, Debbie." He cracked the musicians in the Tonight Show band up with a couple of his comments during the set, but Johnny Carson looked pissed off when they finished - I guess that Debbie Reynolds was a favorite of his. I doubt that Hicks and the Hot Licks ever appeared on the show again.

Thanks for everything, Mr. Hicks. You were great and you'll be missed.

Edited February 7, 2016 by paul secor

[clifford_thornton]

Wow. RIP. I need to get more familiar with his music, and it's sad that his departure must serve as an impetus.

[Joe]

Another original gone. Let us not forget his influential work as a member of The Charlatans.

 

 

[GA Russell]

I once saw a quartet which included Mary Ann, Sid and I think Mary Ann's boyfriend  (John?) on The Gong Show.  It was obvious they were the most talented act the show had ever seen.  They were gonged, as I recall by Jaye P. Morgan.  No one ever mentioned The Hot Licks.

[paul secor]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6do7qqXYTMg

Can't seem to embed an image, but this is one of Dan Hicks' best.

Edited February 8, 2016 by paul secor

[mjzee]

 

 

[paul secor]

12 hours ago, mjzee said:

 

 

Thanks. How does one do this these days? I used to be able to post Youtube images, but not lately.

[mjzee]

3 hours ago, paul secor said:

Thanks. How does one do this these days? I used to be able to post Youtube images, but not lately.

Did you pray to the gods? (I forget if it's the YouTube gods or the Organissimo gods; to be safe, I pray to both.)  But seriously, I did nothing special; just pasted the URL then hit return.  One thing that might make a difference: when on YouTube, copy the URL from the "Share" button (with the right-facing arrow to the left of it), not from the address box at the top of the browser screen.

[duaneiac]

This is starting out as a bad year.  I have long loved Dan Hicks' music.  I knew he had been fighting cancer, but I actually thought he was doing okay recently.

I only saw him perform once when he did his "Holidaze In Hicksville" Christmas show at Yoshi's a few years ago with special guest Bob Dorough.  I saw he was doing the holiday show down in Santa Cruz this last December.  I suppose that must have been one of his last performances.  I should have gone, but you know how life gets in the way sometimes.

So long Mr. Hicks and thank you for hours of musical pleasure.

[BFrank]

I saw him about 3 years ago at SFJAZZ as part of a show celebrating Gershwin. He was good and seemed healthy at the time.