Hicks, Herbert Allan

Faculty of Fine Arts
1934 to 2025
Herbert Allan Hicks

Herbert Allan Hicks passed away peacefully at the Chinook Regional Hospital on May 3, 2025, with his beloved daughter and son-in-law by his side.

 

Hicks Multi-faceted life, fulfilled by music, art, archaeology, family, friends and so much more, started back in 1934 in Williston, North Dakota. Born in 1934 to Melvin and Bertha Hicks, Herb lived nearly 91 years filled with experiences, achievements and successes. He made many friends along the way. Music and art were central to his life. He started playing piano at an early age, formed bands while in high school, toured Europe playing music while serving in the U.S. Air Force, and eventually landing in California where he would spend his most formative years and would have some of his most memorable years playing jazz at The Spigot in Santa Barbara, California. 

 

He moved to Lethbridge in the late 1960’s and helped form the art department at the U of L along with other prestigious Lethbridge artists, while also organizing Lethbridge musicians and influencing the development of a vibrant jazz scene. Hicks said in a 2015 interview for Mark Campbells's "Random Thoughts at Random Times" blog that he was proud of the work being done at the UofL and that there was plenty of musical talent in this city.

 

He was inseparable from his brother Bob - they created inspiring art together, could be found at many venues jamming and trading fours, and spent many years searching the prairies for fossils. Herb’s many achievements are summarized in his autobiography To and From Gigs, but he was most proud of his family.

 

 

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